


Chasing the Past

by AlecTheKat



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, BDSM, College, Dom/sub, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Poetry, Teasing, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-23 02:02:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 68,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11393070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlecTheKat/pseuds/AlecTheKat
Summary: Danny Fenton is sent to the past by Clockwork to fix the mistakes of his parents. Throughout the journey he makes new friends and ends up falling for someone who opens new doors for him. He learns new things about himself, but can the past ever catch up to the future? Or will Danny be left wanting to live in the past? This is a VladXDanny fanfic. Dom/Sub.





	1. Into the Past

 

_"Danny," a voice called, causing the boy to shift in his slumber. A blue fog escaped from his lips as he soon realized that there was another supernatural being near him. "Daniel, wake up," the voice caused again, his voice getting more commanding._ _  
_

_Danny, not ignoring the voice this time, sat up in his bed, looking around his room to see a hooded figure standing in the corner of his room. "Clockwork?" he questioned as he balled his hands into a fist, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you in my room?" He looked at the alarm clock sitting on his nightstand, 4:20 flashing in a bright red color. "Especially at this hour?" It's been four years since Danny was confronted by Clockwork, so what could he possibly want now?_

  
   _Clockwork stepped out of the shadows, his older self coming face to face with Danny. "I need your help Daniel, well more like I need you to complete a quest that has been in the making for many years, before you were even born," Clockwork stated as he floated closer to the boy, "I know that nothing makes sense at the moment, but I need you to go back in time and I need you to keep your father from making the mistake of creating the ghost portal. He used the blue prints from his first try, but ended up creating a version of it that is more dangerous than the first." Clockwork was slowly pacing the floor. "I need you to go back in time and I need you to keep him from making the same mistake or both our worlds will be in danger. The portal is unstable and all the energy within it is slowly gathering in the middle of the ghost zone, the pressure will get to be so strong that it will end up expanding, creating chaos in the ghost zone and maybe even causing permanent damage to your world."_

_The young man let out a sigh. His life had been so peaceful the last few years. He finished his high school year quickly and was heading off to college in a short amount of time. He shifted in his bed and couldn't help but stare up at Clockwork. "I don't know how I can be any help? Why don't you just go back yourself and keep my father from doing it? You are probably much more capable for the job."_

  
_"I will be sending you back to the past, I myself can't go back. I need to keep watch over the timeline while you are in the past and you know I couldn't dare leave my spot to go spend what could be months in a different time. Please Danny, I trust you enough to carry out this mission and I know that you have the ability to do it." Clockwork looked down at the now young adult, turning into his child version._

  
_Danny scratched at his chin, still feeling groggy from just waking up. "Why are you asking me now? It's been three years since we've last spoke and wouldn't it have been better to fix the mistake sooner rather than now?" he questioned, staring up at the ghost._

  
_"No, you weren't prepared for the task when you were younger, but now is the right time. I have been observing your abilities for the past three years, so I know that you are ready," Clockwork explained to the young half ghost. "Danny, please you're the only one who I can ask to preform this task."_

 

     And that is how Danny Fenton, ended up back in time to his fathers college years, to stop the same man from creating a machine that would end up destroying the world. Great. Danny didn't even have the chance to tell Clockwork that he needed to prepare for his college exams, so he didn't have any extra time to be fixing his father's mistakes.

  
     "How should I even know where to begin looking for my parents? This campus is huge and I don't even know the layout," Danny asked himself, staring up at the large building. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     Many students passed by Danny, none offering to help the lost boy. Most of them were in their own clichés and stared at him when they noticed that his clothes weren't in any way relating to the trends that were considered to be 'cool.' Danny just continued to wander around the campus, looking for any sign of were his parents could be. He looked around, not really sure which building consisted of the science departments, that would be his most logical guess to where his parents would be. They were most likely using the lab provided in the classrooms to create some new type of ghost hunting equipment or maybe they were actually working on the prototype portal. This job might have been easier than he planned on.

     "Excuse me," a petit brunette asked as she tapped lightly on the wandering boy's shoulder. She pulled her hand away when Danny turned to look at her and gave him a small smile, her green eyes glowing. "You seem lost, is there a building I can help you find?"

     Danny smiled back at the girl, happy that someone had actually decided to assist him in finding his parents. "Yeah, I think I am actually looking for the science department, but honestly I'm not exactly sure if it's the right building. I'm looking for the department that specializes in creating ghost technology," Danny stated, quickly regretting his openness as the girl's face fell. "I mean, if you don't know where it is that's fine. I'm sure I can find it by myself." 

     She quickly shook her head and her smile soon returned. "No, it's not that I don't have any idea where the building is, it's just that you don't seem to be the type interested in something so odd. I thought there were only three goons that were actually interested in making those types of scientific instruments," she said, lifting her finger to a building to the north. "If you are looking for the science room it's located in that building over there. We don't exactly have any room that specializes in ghost hunting, but the professors of are school are highly impressed with the three students I mentioned before and allow them to use the room in their spare time, as long as they clean up after themselves and don't destroy everything. What was it you were looking for?"

     This girl seemed to be interested in something that had nothing to do with her. "I'm actually interested in meeting the students who are so highly talked about."

  
     The brunette just nodded her head and wished the boy luck in getting a chance to talk with the small group. They tended to be only involved with each other than a few more select few students who had the same interests as them. Danny thanked the girl as she started to walk off and as Danny went in the other direction, heading to the large building that the girl had pointed to. 

     As he entered the building, he was welcomed with a cool breeze of air and an empty hallway with multiple steel doors on each side of the wall. Danny walked down the hallway slowly, glancing through the small glass square that was located near the top of every door. Each room looked fairly similar to the other he had looked through, there were groups of students surrounding lab tables, with a professor at the front of the room explaining what the significance to the experiment. Some rooms were empty, indicating that there weren't any lectures going on. Though he continued to look at every student in each room, Danny still wasn't lucky enough to find any sign of his mother or father. 

     He approached the second to last door on his left side before he saw a head of curly, dark red hair looming over one of the tables. Then a much taller figure came closer to the girl, his black hair and mullet making Danny cringe. Though he was sent back to the eighties, he was still shocked to see that the mullet was actually considered 'cool'. The one with orange hair turned, writing down notes in her journal.

  
     "Jack," the girl called out to the taller man, grabbing his attention quickly. "These numbers don't look right, are you sure you did the calculations correctly?" Danny's mom questioned as she looked over her notes again. 

     Urgency filled the young half ghost as he realized his parents were talking about the ghost portal demo. As his father tried to calm Danny's mom, Danny had quickly grabbed the door knob and busted into the room, catching the attention of his two parents and someone else he hadn't seen at first. 

     "Wait!" Danny called out as he stood in the middle of the room, his blue eyes staring at his parents. 

     The third figure walked over to Danny, his eyes looked down at the boy, yet he seemed to be grinding his teeth. "I was told that we wouldn't be interrupted during our study time," he said as he simply turned away from the ghost boy, instead going over to Jack and Maddie. "Do you have an explanation to why you decided to intrude on our experiment and keep us from creating our ghost vacuum?" 

     Their what? Danny questioned as he spotted a small, portable vacuum laying on the stainless steel top. Danny soon felt that the situation had taken a turn for the worse. He shifted and wrapped his left arm around his right shoulder, rubbing it softly. "Well, I was actually wanting to see your weapon in action. I heard about your experiments and I myself am interested in furthering my knowledge in the paranormal and I thought you three would be the ones to meet with." Danny offered a smile at the three of them, quickly getting on Jack's good side.

     "Well why didn't you say so sooner?" Jack's voice echoed in the nearly empty room and the larger man quickly waltzed over to Danny, putting his arm easily around Danny's shoulders. "Anyone interested in ghosts is a friend of mine. Right now we are working on a vacuum where the inside is laced with ectoplasmic goo..."

 

     "Jack!" the other male had yelled out, stopping him from explaining their experiment. "What do you think you are doing? This stranger just interrupts on our free time, he's probably just here to make fun of us like all the other idiotic students that infest this school."

     "Aw, come on Vladdie!" Jack exclaimed. "He obviously seems interested enough and it's our chance to finally expand our group of friends!" 

     Danny looked up at the man, his jaw dropping. The tall, slender boy standing in front of his was none other than his greatest foe. He gave Danny the same scowl he would at the beginning of every battle they had. "I don't see why we need someone as simple as him to be involved in our group of friends, we are fine how we are."

     Maddie finally stepped between the bickering of the two boys, flashing both of them a soft smile. "Now boys, it's not polite to talk about someone as if they aren't here," she scolded, pointing a figure to each one as she spoke. "Jack, one of your best traits is that you are trusting, but sometimes you are too trusting and speak before you think. Even though this boy could be someone who is truly interested, it's still not right for you to give away our secrets before asking Vlad or I." Vlad had a superior smirk on his face, crossing his arms across his chest. "And Vlad," Maddie started, turning her attention to him. "It was rude of you to accuse this boy of something when you know nothing about him. Maybe he is truly curious about what we are creating and he could grow to be a very good friend."

 

     Both boys looked down in defeat, realizing that they were in no way ready to fight with Maddie. Though Danny felt uncomfortable in the position, he continued to stand in the same spot he had been. He wasn't sure one what else he should do, until his mother addressed him herself.

     "I'm sorry for the rude words that Vlad said, but we aren't exactly the coolest kid," she began as she turned to the closet in the far corner of her room, so she could put her lab oat and goggles away. "We get made fun of daily and it's hard for us to actually believe that there is someone else who's interested in ghosts. You'll have to forgive us if we are a little cautious, but still that's no excuse." Maddie smiled as she walked over to Danny and clasped her palms onto his shoulders, offering a big smile. "But if you truly are interested it would be nice to get to know you and we can make it up to you by buying you lunch. Besides, it would be a great way for us to all get acquainted."

     Vlad quietly watched Danny, his eyes never leaving the boy. Something seemed off about him, but Vlad wasn't able to put his finger on what it could possibly be. That didn't mean he wouldn't find out.

~~~  
     The group of four arrived at a pizza parlor, the three scientist finally out of the gaudy lab coats and goggles. Jack had quickly befriended Danny, talking to the boy about college life and complaining about the classes that he found difficult. Maddie would occasionally join in on the conversation, making a small joke that would cause the two boys to burst out laughing. Vlad still was unsure of Danny and continued to observe the boy, taking mental notes on the boys behavior. Though he wasn't interested in humans, he still liked to be able to read their every move. 

     "So after finally staying all night to finish my thirty page project, I noticed that I was late to class. When I burst through the classroom door I was drenched with rain and I was finally told that all classes were canceled because of a tornado threat. I stayed up all night for no reason, man I was so bummed. I couldn't even do anything because all the electricity went out," Jack said as he finished his story. 

     A low laugh was heard and Danny turned to see Vlad had a hand over his mouth and was chuckling quietly to himself. "Well, that is what you get for procrastinating. I told you that you need to quit wasting your time with those stupid games of yours and you need to take your school work more seriously. If you don't get a good education while you can, you'll never get a job doing what you love," Vlad told Jack, smiling at his best friend. 

     Danny had to admit, while Vlad was still cold and intimidating from time to time, he did seem to treasure Jack as a friend and he did seem to have a soft side around him. Danny grew sad as he compared future Vlad's life with the life he had before the accident. He seemed to truly care for the friendship he shared with both Danny's mother and father.

 

     "Are you okay?" Maddie called softly, her hand swiftly waving in front of his face. The young boy blinked and turned to stare into her eyes. "We got a table in the corner, so hopefully nobody will over hear us discussing ghosts. We don't need people butting into our business, right?"

 

     The four headed over to the table Jack had picked out, quickly order a medium pizza for all of them to share and eat while they talked.

     Jack spoke first, his usual goofy expression turning serious. "So, not that we haven't had great conversations already, but I think it's finally time we asked more about who you are. We don't even know your name or where you come from? You just randomly ran into the science room we use for experimenting, it's actually a little odd."

     The awkward atmosphere slowly returned as all eyes were on Danny. "Yeah, I really can't apologize enough for that. My name is Danny and I come from Amityville. I didn't mean to intrude on the experiment you were all working on, I was just really interested in what you were working on. I had no intention of making fun of any of you You see, my parents are ghost hunters, so that in turn made me grow an interest in the paranormal. I heard about you three from them, I think they read about the gadgets you create in a magazine. They talked about three talented college students for weeks straight, so of course I would wonder about who they were. Once high school let out, I decided on taking a trip to the university you all attended to see if I could possibly get some advice from you guys and to see if this was a decent college, which it seems to be. I'm so excited I finally got to meet you guys finally and it's great to find others who are interested in ghost hunting," Danny explained, looking over to Vlad who was sitting on to his right. "I think I owe you an apology personally, I understand what it's like to be made fun of for what you believe, but please do understand that I wouldn't ever think of speaking ill of any of you."

 

     Danny needed to play it safe around Vlad, he had no intention of getting him as an enemy so quickly. Hopefully if he gained Vlad's trust, he would be trusted by the other two students and then he could help them to create the prototype portal and keep his parents portal from blowing up in the future.

 

     "I knew you couldn't have been a bad person!" Jack stated as he held his hands up in victory. He was sitting beside Maddie and they both seemed to be sitting awfully close to one another. Maybe they were already dating? They always told Jazz and Danny that they didn't start dating until after the accident. They never really explained why the accident was the final push for them to finally get together, maybe after spending so much time working on the project together it brought them closer, but then again they always seem to be working on different types of projects together. "I can't believe that we found someone who's parents hunt ghosts! You need to tell us all about the crazy adventures you've went on. Have you ever seen any ghosts before?"

     Both Vlad and Maddie seemed to be interested in what Danny could tell them, the young girl even had her journal out. Danny let out a sigh and looked up at the ceiling, crossing his arms. How much could he tell them? He had to keep his stories simple though and he couldn't tell them about the inventions that his parents end up creating in the future or maybe he was the reason they ended up creating them. "Yeah, I have seen ghosts before, some are tougher than others. I've met really weak ghosts that my parents finish off quickly, but then I have met some that are tougher to capture and my parents end up losing the chance to get them. It's hard to describe how my parents fight against them, they have so many different types of equipment, it would take too long to tell you guys. Besides, we didn't go out just for me to talk, I would really like to learn about you three as well."

     Their eyes opened in shock as Danny told them he did indeed see a ghost. They were flabbergasted, seeing as none of them have laid eyes upon a ghost. They were all curious to know more about the experience he encountered, but it was obvious that Danny himself was uncomfortable talking about it.

 

     "Won't your parents miss you?" Maddie questioned, giving him a sad look.

 

     "My parents probably haven't even noticed I'm missing yet and I am already eighteen, so it's not like they could force me to stay home. They are wonderful parents and I know that they love me, but sometimes it seems that they are way too preoccupied in hunting ghosts to spend time with me. Even though that's true, I know that I am loved and always will be. They have watched over me my whole life and have always made sure I never went without anything, no matter how much they embarrassed me on a daily basis. They always assumed that my school was haunted and would constantly try to hunt for the ghost that were 'haunting' my school. They were correct in assuming that my school was haunted. A ghost that was obsessed with keeping our lunch menu the same came back to haunt the whole place after my friend wanted to try a week of eating vegan friendly food. The ghost ended up controlling all the meat within the school and tried attacking all the students who wouldn't eat her food," Danny answered, recalling the time that same got the school to feed everyone bread with grass growing out of it. He didn't think he ever saw Sam and Tucker get into a bigger argument since that time.

 

     That was right, since Danny was stuck in the past, he couldn't see his friends for a long time. He already missed them and he just saw them yesterday, but maybe it was just the fact that he wouldn't be seeing them in awhile was making him lonely. He also wouldn't be able to rely on his parents or Jazz for anything, nor could he see them or he should say his version of them. He was stuck in the past, with no idea on how he would return home. Would Clockwork come to get him after he had finished his job? What if he ended up messing something up in the past and that affected the future? He could lose his ghost powers or maybe Vlad would lose his if he fixed the machine correctly. He was confused and unsure about what he could do and what he shouldn't do. Maybe he needed to do something for the future to be how it was.

 

     Maddie frowned, not able to comprehend how his parents could just so easily ignore him. He must be lonely without his parents being there for him. She never experienced that, she grew up in a very loving and close family who supported her through everything, though they weren't too fond of the fact that she was going to get a major in technology just so she could create ghost hunting equipment. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents being busy, but it's nice to know that you don't hold a grudge or anything against them. I'm sure the reason they are so focused on capturing and destroying ghosts is to keep you safe."

 

     Nodding, Danny smiled at his mother from the past and took a piece of pizza from off the plate as soon as it was dropped off at their table.

 

     "So, since you just came here without your parents knowledge I'm guessing that you don't have a place to stay. I'm sure Vladdie will let you stay with him seeing as he has his own door and its bigger than the average ones. His parents are loaded and has made sure that Vlad is living in luxury while he's attending college," Jack offered, taking a piece of pizza and shoving it into his mouth.

 

     Vlad nearly chocked on his food as Jack was once again forcing another burden on him. He was always trying to push stray cats onto him whenever he found one, which ended in him hating the fickle felines. He couldn't stand the fact that they would constantly shed and try to scratch his skin up whenever he went to pet them or feed them. "Jack, why must he stay with me? He is a stranger we just met and not to mention, I know little to nothing about him. Could you please think before you make me do something?"

 

     The table got quiet as Vlad once again said too much. He didn't dance around the truth and he was very blunt. Danny just scratched his head, noting that earning Vlad's trust wouldn't be as easy as he thought it would be. It would probably take him months to earn it, which was time he didn't have to waste. "It's okay, I can always try to find somewhere else to stay. I don't want to be a burden to you." Danny looked up at Vlad, jutting his lower lip over his top, giving him his signature puppy dog face. It always worked on Jazz and Sam, two of the must stubborn people on the entire earth.

 

     "Please Vlad, he's got nowhere else to stay," Maddie pleaded, Jack nodding his head vigorously beside her.

 

     The dusty haired boy sighed and placed his elbow on the table, holding his chin up in his hand. "Very well, I guess he can stay with me in my dorm, but we will be making rules once we get to my dorm and you can bet that I will be enforcing them greatly."

 

     The other three cheered in excitement, then continued to enjoy the pizza they ordered, creating small talk throughout the entire meal.

~~~~

     Maddie, Vlad, Jack, and Danny walked back to the dorms, but the Jack and Maddie parted ways with Vlad and Danny. Jack planned on walking Maddie back to her dorm, making sure she was safetly there before he would head back to his own. Vlad was going to show Danny to the new dorm they were going to share and then they were going to establish rules once they got there. Vlad wasn't excited by the fact that he was being forced to babysit the younger boy, but he had no choice. He could never say no do a request by Maddie.

 

     "Bye Vlad, thanks for taking Danny in since none of us can," Maddie called, waving to her dear friend as she walked beside Jack. "And Danny, try not to bother Vlad too much, he enjoys to be alone on occasion, but he's not a mean guy."

 

     Vlad waved back to Maddie, rolling his eyes as she warned Danny in advance of his short temper. He didn't think that it was necessarily a bad thing. He just tended to enjoy studying and doing hobbies instead of goofing off and messing around, though he wasn't sure if he would be able to study as often with Danny around.

 

     Both Maddie and Jack soon disappeared past the horizon, leaving Vlad alone with Danny. He glanced down at the boy, the other staring off in the direction that his parents walked off in. Danny felt Vlad gazing at him and looked up at him, meeting his eyes. He smiled up at the older man.

 

     "I guess it's time for us to leave as well, I have a lot of homework to catch up on and I plan on acing the exams next week," Vlad mentioned as he turned away and started to walk towards his dorm house.

 

     The walk was quiet, neither of them saying anything, there was honestly nothing to say. Vlad was uninterested in talking to Danny at the moment, he still wasn't too trusting of the boy yet. Danny on the other hand was worried that he may annoy the other male, not sure if he wanted to strike up a conversation with him. Before Danny knew it, they were both standing at Vlad's door.

 

     Vlad fished out his keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, opening it to allow Danny in first, there was no way he trusted his back turned to him. "Now, I think we need to establish some rules, especially if you have any desire to stay here. Disobey any of them and there will be a punishment," Vlad warned, walking further into the room, stepping into a separate room that branched off the hallway.

 

     Danny followed, seeing that they were standing in the living room. There was a television and a VCR, but they were both covered with dust. A couch was placed against the back wall, a matching recliner beside the couch. Vlad walked over the recliner, allowing himself to relax against the soft cushion. He sat up though, realizing the importance of the situation.

 

     "Now, know I only agreed to this because my two friends asked me to. If it were up to me, I wouldn't allow you to stay here," Vlad stated, looking down at Danny. "Now onto the rules, which you have no right to deny. Rule one, while you are staying here, I would like you to attend some of the free classes here. While you are only visiting to see if this school is compatible, it will help you to see if the professors teach in a way that is right for you, so I will be taking you to some of my larger classes."

 

     Danny tried to intervene and argue with Vlad, but a hand was put up, forcing Danny to shut his mouth.

 

     Vlad continued to speak, slowly putting his hand down. "Rule two, when we get back from our classes we are going to do the homework before going out with friends or watching movies. I will not allow my grades to slip just because I have someone staying in the same dorm as me. With that being said, you are not to disturb me while I am doing my work or while I am studying. Rule three, you are never to go out without notifying me first. I am in charge and I need to watch you to make sure that you don't end up causing any trouble on campus. Rule four, you are not to bring anyone of the opposite gender into this house. I don't need anybody else intruding on my space, you are not to bring any male you have any intention in sleeping with either. Rule five, we are both in bed by ten, seeing as I have early classes and I get aggravated easily if I don't get sleep. Now for the most important rule, you are not allowed in my room. It is my space and I will not have you invading it. I would like for you to clean while I am away at classes you are unable to attend and if you have time to cook, that would be nice as well."

 

     The rules seemed to be unfair to Danny, especially since it seemed that Vlad expected him to clean while he was gone and the young half ghost would probably be scolded if he didn't make the room look presentable. He was forcing himself on Vlad though by living with him, but he had no idea on where else he could go, so he would just need to follow the rules.

 

     An evil smirk presented itself on Vlad's face, his white teeth showing. "Now, do you have any complaints?"

 

     "No, I understand and I am grateful that you allowed me to live here," Danny said. "I can't thank you enough and I will try my hardest to make you proud!" Danny pledged, turning Vlad's smirk into an actual smile.

 

     Maybe this wouldn't be too bad.

  
~~~

The sunlight was shinning through the window, falling on Danny's face. The young adult lightly wiped against his nose, the warm heat causing his eyes to open slightly. He stretched his arm, feeling the rough exterior of the couch. He sat up, throwing his arms in the air as he felt his back crack. It was unfair of Vlad to force him to sleep on the couch, seeing as it was still stiff from never being used.

 

     Vlad walked into the living room, his hair dripping with water as he continued to dry it off with a towel, looking down at Danny. "I see you are finally awake, but it's already noon." He took a sip of his water bottle as he went over to sit on his recliner, still keeping his eye on Danny. "My next class doesn't start till two, so I was thinking we could go out and get some groceries so you could make me dinner later tonight when I get home." He smiled at Danny, removing the towel from his hair."

 

     Danny sighed before falling back on the couch. He covered his face with the pillow Vlad had provided, ignoring Vlad's offer. "Ugh, I'm tired and I just want to sleep."

 

     Taking the pillow away from Danny, holding it out of his reach. "We had an agreement and if you don't want any punishment, I suggest you wake up."

 

     With a sigh, Danny sat up once more and looked up at Vlad who was on his way to putting his used towel in the pile he had claimed as the 'dirty' pile. "I don't see why I need to cook for you, I'm not a house spouse," Danny called to Vlad, pushing himself off the couch. "Besides, how do you even know that I can cook?"

 

     "I'm just guessing that you can, seeing as you said your parents never really pay any attention to you, I was just

thinking you taught yourself how to cook so you wouldn't get hungry," Vlad explained, walking back into the living room. "Now, don't yell at me from another room. To begin with I can't hear you and it's annoying. If you want to speak with me, get up, and go into the room that I am currently in."

 

     "Alright," Danny agreed as he grabbed his blanket, folding it before he placed it on the pillow he had used. "I know that you've done enough for me, but I don't have any other clothing. Could you possibly let me borrow a few shirts and maybe a pair of pants?"

 

     Vlad had already left the room, one step ahead of Danny. "I already laid out an outfit for you today, though the pants may be a bit too long. I guess you will just need to roll them up if you don't want to trip." Vlad walked back into the living room, handing the neatly folded clothing to Danny. "You know where the bathroom is so you can go change in there. If the pants are too big around the waist, I can let you borrow one of my belts."

 

     Danny happily took the clothing, happy that Vlad had willingly given him the clothing instead of striking up a deal with him. Danny was at a lost though, the Vlad from before the accident seemed so caring towards others, though he was a bit untrustworthy. He did lose a lot because of the accident, so he wasn't completely to blame, but he seemed to have done a complete 180. "Thank you, this means a lot to me. You make a very good parent."

 

     The small comment elicited a small laugh from the older man. "You need someone to watch after you seeing as you are unable to watch after yourself. Now hurry up, we do have a tight schedule at the moment." Vlad pressed his palms against Danny's back, pushing the boy to the bathroom. "Hurry, hurry."

 

     The half ghost followed Vlad's orders, quickly changing into the simple white tee and grey jeans that his make-shift tenet had provided him. As soon as he walked out of the bathroom, Danny saw that Vlad already had his shoes on and was holding up Danny's red converse.

 

     "I guess that teenage boys are used to getting ready quickly, a skill that you will need once you start attending college," Vlad commented as he threw the shoes at Danny. "If you see any clothing that catches your eye I'll buy it for you, but it will cost you in the future.:

 

     Danny rolled his eyes and slipped his feet into the shoes, stepping closer to Vlad. "I'm ready whenever you are."

     "Please Daniel, I was born ready. You need to remember I was the one who was waiting for you," Vlad reminded as he held the door opened for Danny. 

     They both walked out, Vlad locking his dorm before they both made their way across the large campus. The other students seemed to be staring at Vlad, which in turn made them study Danny as well. Most would just turn to their friends and laugh, most likely discussing the fact that Vlad believed in ghosts.

 

     "Does it ever bother you?" Danny asked quietly. He didn't want the others to over hear him, mostly because he didn't want to draw anymore attention. "I don't understand how you just can walk past them as they continue to talk badly about you."

 

     Vlad smiled down at Danny, placing his hand on the younger boys shoulder. "It's sweet of you to get mad for me, but there's no use in it. They will continue to talk poorly about me. I just ignore what they say because of the fact that I know I don't need to stoop down to their level. I know that ghosts are real, no matter if I have never seen one in real life and nothing will keep me from believing it."

 

     It was weird how Vlad didn't mind that he was the one being laughed at by many of the students. The Vlad he knew was cocky and arrogant, never would he allow others to speak ill of him. He would get revenge on those who ever dared to laugh at him. Maybe the accident had caused Vlad more pain than Danny could imagine.

 

     "Vladdie!" A voice yelled, getting closer to the two strolling boys. "I knew that you would and Danny would get along!"

 

     The two boys turned to see Jack running towards them. The amount of students looking at them increased as Jack continued to yell loudly across the courtyard. Vlad simply shrugged it off and continued to walk forward, leaving Danny to stand in place and debate on if he should wait or follow after Vlad. He decided to wait, allowing Jack to catch up to him.

 

     Jack finally was standing beside Danny, pulling the boy into a tight hug. "Did you get new clothing? Don't tell me Vlad actually allowed you to borrow his clothing. He rarely ever lets anyone borrow anything of his. I have to beg him for practically a week if I want to use his notes or to borrow his tools to build some new invention."

 

     "I allow others to use my stuff, I just don't trust you because of the fact that the last time I allowed you copy my notes, you handed them to me with drool stains all over them," Vlad explained, backtracking to where Jack and Danny were standing. "Now if you'll please let him go, I need to take him shopping so he can get ingredients for my meals." Vlad pulled Danny from out of Jack's hands and side stepped away from Jack, not allowing Jack to pull him into a hug. "You also know I've told you countless times that you are not allowed to hug me. I don't need any other rumors floating around this school."

 

     Jack looked away from Vlad, staring at the ground. "Sorry Vladdie, I didn't mean to make you mad and you know that I only hug you because I care about you."

 

     Sighing, Vlad nodded his head and smiled at Jack. "I know you do and you know that I am not the type to show affection. I only allow physical contact on special occasions or when I finally find the one I love, but until then I like to keep physical affections to a minimum."

 

     That sounded a lot like something that the Vlad Danny knew would say. He never seemed to be the type to flaunt his affections for someone. The only one he ever wanted to physically touch was his mother and he rarely ever did try to grab her. Maybe the only reason that he wanted Maddie was because of the fact that Jack had her and he didn't.

 

     "Now, I know that you have a class you need to get to. I told you that you weren't allowed to skip physics, no matter how much homework piled up because of your inability to do your work on time," Vlad scolded.

 

     Jack frowned, sad he wasn't able to join his friends in shopping. "Alright, I'll stop by at your dorm later. I know you won't be back till around seven, so I'll help Danny spruce up the place. Have fun shopping. Remember Danny, let Vlad buy whatever he wants."

 

     Danny raised his eyebrow and looked up at Vlad, "Do we have a spending problem?" Danny asked.

 

     "Let's go," Vlad simply demanded.

~~~

     As they were leaving the store, Danny was carrying at least four bags of groceries and Vlad was carrying two. It seemed a bit unfair for Danny to be carrying more, but he felt bad that Vlad was the only one with money and not only bought food, but he also ended up buying Danny some clothing that was actually his size. Danny had changed his mind about Vlad, finally accepting that before the accident he was actually a very kind person. He couldn't believe that he was actually walking down the street, laughing as Danny told him another silly story about Danny's high school years.

 

     "It seems as if your teachers weren't very wise. I can't believe that they allowed you to go to the zoo after hours and that you got up close to a purple back gorilla. He even only gave you a C after the fact that you found out that it was a female instead of a  male," Vlad said, still laughing.

 

     Danny was smiling brightly as he finished the story, Vlad seemed to be enjoying himself and it was nice to see him drop the serious attitude he had. "Yeah, I was mad that he gave me such a low grade after I risked my life, but it wasn't an F at least."

 

     The two boys continued to walk down the street, Vlad checking his watch to make sure that he wasn't running late for his class. It only took them about forty-five minutes for them to gather up all the groceries they needed, Vlad even treated Danny to a small lunch, but Danny had agreed to do the laundry for Vlad as well as organize his bookshelf while he was in classes. Though the half ghost had already told himself he would do that, but Vlad didn't need to know that.

 

     "Thanks for everything Vlad, I know that you didn't really want to look after me, but it means a lot to me that you are allowing me to stay with you. You even bought me new clothing and I have no way of repaying you for all that you've done," Danny said.

 

     Vlad looked down at the boy, his laughing ceasing as he realized how serious Danny was being. "You don't need to thank me." Vlad was silent for a moment, looking away from Danny. He spoke his next words quietly, only allowing him and Danny to hear them. "I am the one who owes you an apology. I was rude to you and misjudged you. I feared that you would speak badly about me or my friends and that caused my defenses to go up, which just ended up in me acting like the bad guy."

 

     There was a moment of silence as Vlad's words sunk in. Danny was slightly shocked to hear the older man apologize, but he himself understood that it wasn't easy to trust others so quickly. 

 

     "It's okay," Danny found himself saying, turning to look at Vlad. "We both could have done things differently. I could have entered in a more respectful manner instead of barging in and ruining your experiment."

 

     Vlad smiled, not his usual smirk that he used whenever he was picking on Danny or when he was right and another person was wrong, but a smile that lit up his entire face. It was pretty contagious and the younger boy smiled back. "Thank you Daniel."

 

     They walked the rest of the distance in silence, occasionally Vlad would point out something of interest to Danny, promising to take him out when he didn't have to attend any classes. Danny never imagined he would be able to befriend the younger version of his archenemy, much less have a decent conversation, but he was proved wrong. When they would actually talk, conversation flowed easily and there was never a moment in which the conversation was forced. When the moments were quiet, it wasn't as if it was awkward, it was rather peaceful. 

 

     Before the young half ghost knew it, they were already crossing the campus yard back to Vlad's dorm. His shoulders began to ache as he remembered that he had been carrying so many shopping bags for a distance that his body was not used to. Vlad, noticing the boy shifting, grabbed one of heavier bags from the boy and readjusting his own so he could carry them comfortably.

 

     "You didn't have to take one," Danny commented as he already felt his muscles relaxing. "We are really close, so it wouldn't have hurt to allow me to carry them."

 

     "I don't need you collapsing from exhaustion before you finish my laundry," Vlad joked, laughing as he watched Danny's eyes open wide in surprise. "My cleaning has been a bit neglected seeing as I'm preparing for exams."

 

     "You're so smart though, exams should he easy enough for you to pass without trying too hard."

 

     "Not that I need to study too hard, but I do like to keep my grades above average, so I continue to study for tests and exams," Vlad stated, ceasing from walking as he stared down at Danny. "How did you know I was smart?"

 

     "Hmm, just a simple guess," Danny answered, stopping to look up at Vlad

 

     The older male allowed Danny to carry the other two bags, especially since his classes would be beginning soon. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a brightly polished, gold key. "I need to get to class now if I don't want to be late, so I'm trusting you with my dorm key. I know that you won't be leaving the room, but if you do just leave the key under the door mat. We have cameras all around the campus, so I'm not that worried about someone breaking into my room. I just would feel safer knowing that I at least tried to keep a robber out," Vlad explained as he placed the small metal key into Danny's opened hand. He then handed over the two shopping he had been carrying. "Sorry that I can't help you to take back the groceries, but I'm not the type to be late."

 

     Danny shook his head and smiled at Vlad, "It's okay. I think I can handle carrying two more bags, besides you ended up grabbing the two lightest bags."

 

     The older man seemed to be thankful that Danny was able to carry the bags on his own. "Thank you, Daniel." Vlad said as he turned away from Danny, walking away from the ghost boy. 

     As Danny readjusted himself, putting all the bags in a more comfortable position so he could hopefully make it back to the dorm room he shared with Vlad, without any problems. Once he began walking though, he was stopped, another student stepping in front of him. Before Danny was aware of it, two of the larger grocery bags were pulled from his hands and were now being held by another man.

 

     "Sorry for suddenly grabbing the two bags from you, but you were holding them in a pose that would have tired your arms out easily and you probably would have dropped them and as college students, we all know how little money we have. We have to make the most of it," the sandy blonde haired boy explained quickly, his black rimmed glasses falling slightly down his pointed nose. 

 

     "N..No," Danny stuttered, surprised that someone had come to help a stranger with such a simple duty as carrying groceries. "Thank you, I didn't really think about how I was carrying them. I just wanted to get them to my dorm as quickly as possibly."

 

     A smile spread across the boys head as he let out a small laugh. His voice was deep, yet it added a certain charm to the man. Though he didn't need much help with that, he was wearing a pretty stylish outfit and his hair was nearly trimmed and pushed back against his head. "Yeah? That's good, I'm glad you didn't start yelling at me or anything. I'm working in the medical field, mainly to help with muscle relaxation and physical therapy. I couldn't just allow one of my fellow classmates to hurt themselves, especially since exams are coming up soon." The boy seemed to get caught up in the conversation and he stopped talking, mentally disciplining himself. "I'm so sorry, I haven't even introduced myself yet. I'm Johnathan Marcus, but I'm okay with being called John or any other nickname. Johnathan is a mouthful and it would suck to have to continuously say it."

 

     "Danny," the young ghost boy introduced, allowing Johnathan to grab one more bag, both of them holding three bags each. "It's really cool of you to help with carrying all these bags. My dorm mate had to hurry off to class, so I was left to carry them all by myself. I think he would have been fuming if I wasted his money by dropping all our food on the ground, especially since I need to make dinner for the both of us."

     John nodded in agreement as they both started walking through the grass, some of the students stopping to wave at Johnathan. "Understandable. It's not easy to be finically set for college, but you and your dorm mate seemed to have bought a lot of groceries, especially compared to what I can afford. It must be nice having so much money to spend. It's hard, but hopefully it will be worth all the stress."

     Danny wanted to offer Johnathan a chance to eat dinner with him and Vlad, but he wasn't sure how the two males would interact. Though there was a good chance that they wouldn't know each other seeing as they were

both studying different courses. "Since you helped me carry the bags and everything, why don't you join me and roommate for dinner? I'm sure he won't matter and we do have a lot of food. I can make something that will feed all of us and if there are leftovers, I'm sure you can take them with you."

     "You can't be serious!" Johnathan exclaimed happily as he looked down at Danny. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in who knows how long! I would love to come have dinner with you two, but I have another class today that I need to attend. Would six be too late for me to come over?"

     A gentle breeze blew across the campus, ruffling the leaves. The half ghost wasn't sure how late Vlad would be out, but he didn't think he would be home by six. Danny had about four hours to clean up Vlad's little apartment before Johnathan would be done with his classes, so he didn't see a problem with it at all. "That should be fine, I need to clean our room a bit more anyways. I was hoping to get our laundry done and maybe some dusting."

 

     As Johnathan continued to smile, letting Danny know what time he would most likely arrive, they had both made it to Vlad's apartment. Daniel fished the key he had been give from his pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open for him and John to enter. 

 

     A low whistle escaped from Johnathan as he looked around the room, the room being much more spacious than any of the dorms he had lived in. "This is nice, well nicer than my shit hole at least and I don't see you needing to clean very much."

 

     Danny carried the groceries into the kitchen, setting them on the countertop that was built in the middle of the room. Johnathan followed Danny's actions, placing his three bags down. "I just need to do some dusting and I need to reorganize a few things. I'm glad that Vlad keeps it clean mainly by himself," Danny explained, grabbing a bottle of water from one of the grocery bags, offering one to Johnathan.

 

     Johnathan obliged, taking the water bottle, swiftly taking a sip from it. "Wait, are you roommates with Vlad Masters? The one who's y'know interested in ghost hunting?"

 

     The room became quiet as Danny looked up at Johnathan, was this person the same as the others? Would he judge Vlad and his parents just because of the fact they all believe in the paranormal? "Yes, that is who my roommate is." It was tense, Danny didn't know what he should do. It's not like he could uninvite Johnathan and Danny had hoped he had found a new friend. 

 

     "That's so cool," was the excited remark that Danny wasn't expecting. "I've heard a lot about him, like how he's a super genius, but we both are taking different courses, so I haven't got the chance to meet him yet."

 

     "You don't think he's weird for believing in ghosts?" Danny questioned, as he left the kitchen with Johnathan following behind him. They both sat down on the couch, Danny thinking it would be better than one of them sitting on the recliner that Vlad resides in. 

 

     "I mean, I myself don't personally believe in ghosts, but there are weirder things to have an interest in. I think it's awesome that he has something he can chase after and pursue while putting his whole heart into it. You don't need to worry, I'm not going to judge him or label him before I get the chance to meet him."

 

     Excitement filled Danny, he had found someone he could hopefully befriend and maybe have someone to help him pass the time with. "I'm glad you didn't judge him, it would suck to have lost a friend." 

 

     "Glad to hear you call us friends, man," The other male replies, as he playfully messed up Danny's hair, causing the young half ghost to pull away and try to fix all the fly strays. "I have a hard time making friends at this college too, so it's nice to know that you're giving me the chance."

 

     Danny's brow arched, how could someone like Johnathan not have friends? He was such a friendly person and he was so open-minded. "Well you can always come to me when you need anything. Though Vlad has demanded that we are both in bed early, seeing as he needs his beauty sleep."

 

     They continued to talk, Danny learning about Johnathan's hometown and his passion in sports. It was weird, Danny never thought he would be able to discuss sports with anyone. His sister thought there were better things to do than purposely hurting others to get a ball and his two best friends had no interest in them either. He talked a little about himself, trying hard not to give out any information that could hint he was from the future. Johnathan had to leave soon after their discussion about Vlad. He needed to get to classes, which bummed Danny out, but he had the chance to get around to keeping his promise to Vlad. The young half ghost started by organizing Vlad's collection of books, noticing that most of them consisted of ghost hunting articles or on scientific theories, but among the educational books, there were a few of the classics. He moved on from the books and headed to the bathroom, gathering up the clothing in the bin for the next task at hand. 

     Two hours later, Danny had cleaned the apartment and the laundry was currently being cleaned at the laundry house on campus. He fell against the side of the house, a sudden wave of exhaustion falling over him as realized that the house was as spotless as it could be. Danny couldn't remember the last time he actually cleaned something so thoroughly, but he was trying to make a better impression with Vlad. He relaxed for a few moments, but soon after he had a moment to catch his breath, he was already getting back up and going to the kitchen to start fixing dinner for tonight.


	2. An Awkward Feast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting a new friend, Danny invites him over to have dinner at Vlad's. Vlad learns more about the young boy, seeing him in a vulnerable state that shows him a different side of Danny.

Vlad was exhausted, his hardest classes were always on Monday night and they always took away his energy. He was standing in front of his dorm room, his right hand on the door knob and his left holding his homework. His professor for forensic science allowing him the opportunity use his own special collection of books to write his paper. He turned the knob, hearing Danny singing from the other room. He listened for a moment, not recognizing the tune as the boy kept the beat in his head as he was singing Humpty Dumpty. Vlad laid his books down on the coffee table he had laying in his living room and made his way to the kitchen. As he stepped in and sniffed the air, a heavenly smell surrounded him.

  
Danny was wearing a simple white apron he must have found while cleaning, because he had the fabric wrapped around his waist. He was dancing in the kitchen while cutting up various vegetables and adding them to a bowling pot of water he had cooking on the stove. What Vlad noticed, is that Danny seemed to float around the kitchen, his movements precise and very elegant.

  
"Someone seems to be enjoying themselves," Vlad finally said, watching the boy's face scrunch up in shock and alarm. Thankfully his hands were empty, because the boy had stumbled, falling on his butt as he tried to catch himself. Vlad laughed, moving to help pull Danny from the floor.

  
Danny took Vlad's hand, a red hue coloring his cheeks. "I didn't know you would be home at this time. I haven't finished dinner yet. It should be done soon, but the vegetables needs to simmer a bit longer."

  
"It's fine Daniel, it smells delicious so I can wait to eat," Vlad said as he stepped over to the stove, wafting his hand over the vegetables to take in their glorious scent.

  
"Sorry, it isn't anything fancy, but meatloaf is pretty easy to make and I had no clue what you like to eat, so if you don't like it, I won't make it again," Danny explained quickly, getting nervous from being complimented by Vlad. He just couldn't wrap his mind around how he seemed to be so much kinder before the accident. How could such a little thing change him so drastically. "Um... Vlad?" Danny asked as he leaned against the kitchen wall.

  
Vlad turned his head to Danny and looked at him for a moment, "Is something wrong?"

  
How could Danny explain he had randomly invited some stranger into his home to help with groceries and Danny had invited the stranger back, even offering dinner. "Would you be against us having another guest for dinner?" Danny asked quickly in return receiving an unamused look. "I'm sorry, but I ran into another student who helped me carry the groceries to your dorm. His name is Johnathan and he's studying to become a physical therapist and he corrected my position as I was carrying the groceries. He was really kind and when he found out I was rooming with you he didn't laugh or make any snarky comment. John just said that it would be nice to meet you and put a face to the name."

  
"Wait," Vlad commanded, holding his hand up to silence the blabbering boy. Danny did as he was told and kept silent as Vlad placed his fingertips against his temple, rubbing the skin lightly. "Not only did you allow some stranger into my dorm, you also invited him back over, fully aware that I'm not keen to strangers."

Vlad was staring down at Danny, his sharp eyes causing Danny to feel small. He sure did carry an air of authority around him and it made Danny feel nervous. "I know," Danny agreed, he had messed up. "I made a mistake and didn't allow myself the proper time to grow a bond with John, but I've already invited him. Can you please just allow him to eat with us? I'll do extra cleaning or whatever else you want, I just don't want you to be upset. I had no intention of upsetting you and if he had made fun of you in any way, I was prepared to kick him out and slam the door in his face."

The fact that Danny would get mad for Vlad was a little endearing, it was new to Vlad. Sure he had Maddie and Jack to back him up if need be, but the fact is that they were both so soft spoken, they can't even defend themselves of someone were to speak badly. Jack would laugh off the matter all together and Maddie would just ignore the comments. Vlad sighed, he was still angry Danny had invited someone in. Not because a stranger had been to his dorm, but because Danny could have been hurt by the stranger. "If he seems to be okay with you, I will give him the chance. Just please, don't let this happen again. It's one thing to be making new friends in an open area with others surrounding you, but it's different when you are talking one on one with nobody else around."

Danny smiled, glad that Vlad was no longer mad at him. He looked up at the clock and saw that Johnathan wouldn't be here for another hour or so. That would give Vlad some time to do his homework or shower, do whatever he wanted to in that time. "Do you want to start your work before he gets here? I can set the table while you study or do any homework you may have."

"Thank you," Vlad replied, his stance more relaxed. "I think I'll take you up on that offer. I just got assigned a paper and it doesn't really seem like it's going to be the easiest, so I'm going go in my room to start it. Just knock on my door when dinner is ready."

Danny nodded, continuing to cook, adding a few spices to the vegetables as Vlad turned away and walked to his room, the door shutting softly behind him.  
~~~

A soft knock sounded on the front door as Danny was pulling the meatloaf from the oven with heat resistance gloves. Danny pulled off the mitts and walked to the door, opening it to see a smiling Johnathan on the other side. Johnathan held up a small plate, a variety of cookies laying under plastic wrap.

"Sorry I couldn't afford much more than a few cookies, money is a little tight with college," Johnathan said as he handed over the cookies as Danny moved off to the side to let him in. "I see you actually got some cleaning done, looks nice. Can I hire you to clean my dorm too?"

"Well you just said you were tight on money, so I don't think you'd be able to afford my prices," Danny teased.

Danny walked with Johnathan beside him and placed the cookies in the center of the table. The young phantom then made his ways to Vlad's bedroom door, knocking the his knuckles against the solid wood. The door creaked and Vlad poked his head out, his face tired from studying.

"Yes? Is our dinner guest here?" he questioned, looking up to see that Johnathan was sitting at the table. The sandy blonde man smiled at Vlad. "Well I guess I can take some time off from studying, I'm getting annoyed just reading one paragraph."

The three men sat down at the table, the food emitting a heavenly aroma, that filled the small kitchen. It was silent and the air was tick as Vlad just seemed to stare at Johnathan. Coughing, Danny looked to Vlad and offered him the first piece of meatloaf and continued to pass around the succulent dish while striking up a conversation with the two other males.

"So, how were your classes today? I'm sure each of you have been loaded up with piles of homework after your teachers had the whole weekend to find something else for you two to write an essay on," Danny had commented, placing his own piece of meat on his plate along with a scope of the steamed vegetables.

Johnathan sighed loudly and nodded his head, "Yeah, I have an essay that's due at the end of the week and I have no time to get it finished since I work all this week. It's such a pain in the ass."

"What about you Vlad? I know you have a report do too, any advice you can give to John?" Danny asked the  
older male.

Vlad directed his attention to Danny, wiping the small crumbs from the side of his lips before he set the napkin back on the table. "Well, I find it to be an advantage to use as many sources possible. You yourself will be more informed on the topic and you can be sure that all your information is correct." He reached forward and grabbed the glass of water Daniel had poured for him and took a sip, moistening his parched throat. "Of course you don't want to use too many sources, you will only exert yourself in the end and that will make your effort lazy."

Johnathan took the advice to heart and smiled at Vlad. "Thanks, I know that my essay writing skills aren't as advanced as the other college students, so hopefully your advice will help me. Do you know any good second-hand book stores around the area? In walking distance would be fantastic seeing as I don't really want to spend my mom on the bus. I always check them out from the campus library, but it seems that their selection with physical therapy is very small and the information is limited."

 

Danny smiled, pleased by the fact that Vlad and Johnathan seemed to be getting along. They both just needed to discuss a topic that related to both of their lives. "I'm sure Vlad does, he's so well informed and loves buying books. No matter how much money you do have," Danny said, turning his gaze towards Vlad, the smile still adorning his face, "you would not have enough to purchase all the books you own. I've seen the sizes of them and the material they are contrived from."

 

The playful comment had caused Vlad to smile as well as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the sturdy, wooden chair. "I do have some shops in mind, most of them are within walking distance and they have a considerable amount of medical books. I'm sure you will be pleased with one store I have in mind. I'll leave you the addresses and names before you leave."

 

"Really? That would be awesome, thank you," the dusty haired man said.

All of the men finished their portion of the dinner. With the leftovers, Danny had divided it and gave some to Johnathan to take home. They all gorged on the selection of cookies the guest had brought over and continued to discuss school related topics. Of course Vlad and Johnathan involved Danny as well, asking him about what his plans were and what job he wanted to pursue.

"I... uh... actually would like to be an astrologist or maybe work as an astronaut and visit planets to learn more about them," Danny answered, his voice soft and timid. Whenever he had told others about his dream job, they had snickered. He wasn't the most intelligent, but he was passionate about science and space, so he wanted to work in a field that interested him. "I know that you have to be really perceptive, which I'm not, but it's something that I would be ecstatic about pursuing."

Vlad held a single finger up, silencing Danny. "Daniel," he ostracized, gaining the boy's full attention. "You can't allow others to keep you from achieving your dreams. You are not dim-witted, you just learn at a different pace from others and in return they make you out to be idiotic, but I can assure you that you are far from that. If you'd like, I can help you to attend some of the classes they have in the science department. Many of the professors there respect me and I'm sure they would be honored to have such a passionate student attend some of there lectures. Most of the students here only go after a job that will help them succeed in life, which isn't wrong to do, but they don't have that special spark someone like you has."

 

Johnathan was smiling and nodding along to each statement Vlad had made. "Yeah, I'm sure you can become whatever you want to be. Your IQ doesn't matter, your dedicated and willingness to learn is what will prevail in the end."

 

"Thanks guys," Danny smiled, the encouraging words inspiring Danny to chase after his dreams. "It's so nice to have people who actually believe in my abilities instead of just brushing off my dreams."

Though Johnathan couldn't sense it, Vlad could tell that Danny was thankful for the encouragement, but he didn't intend for the conversation to continue. It seems to be that Danny may have been bullied far worse than what Vlad had thought. The young adult's shoulders were stiff, his back leaning straight against the back of the chair. Even though he was smiling, Danny seemed to be worried. What he was worried about, Vlad honestly had no idea.

Conversation continued and the three young men moved to the living room, Vlad taking his spot in his recliner, the soft cushion a much welcomed change then the hard, wood frame of the chair that was paired up with his desk. Danny and Johnathan were sitting on the couch, Danny sitting to the edge closest to Vlad.

As the sun began to set on the horizon, Johnathan yawned loudly. He stood from the couch and thanked Danny for the delicious meal and then proceeded to thank Vlad for allowing a stranger into his home. Danny got up and walked Johnathan to the front door, agreeing to let him back to enjoy another meal. Johnathan thanked Danny once again for all the leftovers he had received and then started the journey back to his dorm.

Once Johnathan had left, Vlad and Danny were left alone. With both of them being exhausted, neither spoke, Vlad had even rested his head against his chair with his eyes shut. Unlike Vlad, Danny felt an obligation to go clean up the mess that was left over in the kitchen. He could safely bet that neither him nor Vlad would enjoy it if filthy creatures were to swarm the apartment. Danny left the living room and went into the kitchen, gathering the speckled dishes from the table, his hands quickly filling.

"Daniel?" Vlad called out, forcing his body away from the comfort of the recliner and then wandering into the kitchen to see Danny filling the stainless steel sink with warm water, the water splashing against the piled up dishes. "You don't need to clean up right now. You look exhausted and you even have bags under your eyes."

Danny turned away from the soiled dishes and instead stared at Vlad. "I just don't want any unwanted insects swarming your apartment. I promised you that I would do the cleaning and I won't allow myself to break that promise after one day. I'm fine, besides I don't have any classes that I need to attend. I think that it would be in your best interest to go to sleep though. You seem to be warn out too."

"Speaking of classes, I want to ask you about our earlier conversation. Why did you seem so tense when I complimented you? You just seemed surprised to actually have someone cheering for you."

There it was, that moment when Danny became a deer in the headlights. His eyes grew wide and his muscles tensed. "It's nothing really. It's just as you say, nobody has encouraged me."

"What about your parents?" Vlad pushed, he was walking closer to Danny, his hands relaxing on the young man's stiff shoulders. "You need to relax though, you're going to pull a muscle or at the least make them sore. I'm not here to intrude on your life. I just want you to know that even if nobody thinks you are able to achieve your goals, I will be the one cheering you on as you try your hardest."

Vlad could see that Danny's eyes became clouded, tears on the brim of the boy's eyelid. "Thanks," he mumbled quietly, turning his head away. It was embarrassing to think that Vlad would be able to see his weak side, especially since Vlad was the enemy and was one day going to turn into an evil mastermind.

"Of course, Daniel." Vlad knew that was going to be all that Danny was willing to say, so he removed his hands from the boy's shoulder and instead grabbed a sponge as he began to brush the grime from the porcelain surfaces. Before Danny had the chance to deny Vlad's help, Vlad held up his hand and offered the young boy a soft smile, two dimples appearing on his face. "I'm helping no matter what you say."

It was strange how Danny felt his defenses fall around Vlad, he seemed to be answering anything the older man has asked of him. He usually was pretty good at hiding his emotions. It wasn't as if Danny had a bad life, his parents cared about him and he had friends, but he just seemed to be missing some crucial factors that others had. His parents didn't seem to want Danny to pursue his dream of being an astronaut, instead they wanted him to join them in the family business.

They both finished the dishes quickly and Vlad headed into the bathroom, going through his nightly routine. Danny straightened up the kitchen before he went into the living room, laying out his blanket and pillow. Vlad walked into the living room, making his way to the front door so that he could lock it. "I'm done in the bathroom, you can use it now." Vlad went over to his recliner and sat down on the plush material as Danny nodded and walked into the bathroom.

As Danny stepped into the living room once more, Vlad had put on his glasses and was reading a small book of poems. Danny went over to his make-shift bed and laid down on it. "What poet are you reading?" Danny asked.

Vlad looked down at Danny, the sight of the boy curled up on the couch, the younger mans attention turned to himself made Vlad extremely happy. It had been forever since someone had taken interest in him, even if Danny only wanted to break the silence. "I'm reading Walt Whitman's collection. I enjoy his poems, instead of declaring his undying love to anyone, he instead writes about the pride he has in his country and his heritage."

"I never really took the chance to dissect the secret meaning behind Whitman's words, I always thought of poetry as dull and boring," Danny admitted. "Though I do remember some of Whitman's poems and how he seemed to put his heart into his poems. I remember he wrote a lot of poems that were dedicated to his country and he truly loved the United States and the freedom it offered to the settlers."

A look of shock crossed across Vlad's face, it was amazing how Danny was able to look past Whitman's sentence structure and was able to dig up a deeper meaning to the poems than what rested upon the outer surface. "I agree, though I do enjoy Whitman's poetry, his way of expressing his love towards his nation is simply marvelous."

Danny nodded his head in agreement, his mouth stretching open as he yawned. "He is." Danny lifted the cover Vlad had given him to sleep with and covered himself, resting his head against the pillow and closing his eyes. "Please, keep reading?" Danny requested. It surprised him how he was comfortable around Vlad, but maybe it was because he was so used to the cruel Vlad from the future. He smiled, enjoying the friendship the two were developing. He knew that they were only able to get along so well because Vlad's heart hadn't been defiled yet, he wasn't the bitter old man he would grow up to be.

"Of course," Vlad agreed quietly, turning to a new page in his book of poetry. As he continued reading, but he was reading quietly. Vlad watched as Danny closed his eyes, his mouth slightly open as he fell asleep to Vlad's reading. Closing the book, Vlad got up from the recliner and walked over, tucking the blanket around the boy's shoulder as he made his way towards his own bedroom. He glanced back at the boy one last time, before shutting his door softly.

The older man was now standing in his bedroom, dark shadows created by the glowing moon outside were reflected on the carpet ground. He stood and turned his head to look around his room. It was filled with so many of his secrets, but it was something that he would never allow young Daniel to see. He didn't want to ruin the friendship they were developing. Vlad prepared for bed, brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas, which in reality he wore a faded pair of flannel pajama bottoms. As he lay in his bed, he started to think about his day. In only a few days his world had expanded, what with actually having a roommate, something he was sure he would never have nor enjoy and allowing a stranger into his home to have dinner with. He was glad he had listened to Danny and stepped out of his comfort zone, but was still worried about any gossip Johnathan would start. Johnathan seemed like a nice person and he didn't seem to be the type to spread any rumors, but Vlad knew what it was like to put your trust in someone and then have them betray you.

Vlad closed his eyes, pressing his head into the soft fabric of his pillow and drifted off to sleep, his dreams being filled with piercing blue eyes and dark coal hair, ones that he would soon forget in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few disclaimer with this story, because I need to make sure nobody gets mad or offended, because that's not my intention. I am gay, but I'm a female, so honestly I have no idea how two men have sex except what I've seen in yaoi mangas or what I have read, so please be aware that I will try my best to write it correctly and accurately. (Though this disclaimer is meant for latter chapters.) Secondly, I am not active in the BDSM community, but I am fascinated by it, but I'm not sexually attracted to people, so there's that. If I do ever write any incorrect information or something that is offensive, please let me know and I will fix it, I'm a pretty easy person to work with. Also, any suggestions for the story is welcomed as I want everyone to enjoy my little treasure. Lastly, I have no proofreader, so all mistakes are my own and I own them. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter and will continue to give me your support :)


	3. A Time for Friends

Two weeks had passed since Danny had traveled back in time. Within that week, he had started rooming with his future enemy and had befriended his parents. Danny had grown accustomed to living with Vlad, getting used to the older man's schedule. He usually woke up before Vlad and would make breakfast for him, before he walked with him across the campus, escorting him to his first class of the day. While Vlad was attending classes, Danny would usually go shopping for food or supplies that Vlad needed for school and sometimes would run errands for him. He did most of the cleaning around the apartment, keeping up with laundry and making sure that there was nothing lying on the floor. Then, depending on the day, Danny would either make dinner before Vlad got home or he would pick up Vlad from his class and then make dinner. Vlad seemed to be trusting Danny more, confining in Danny whenever he had a problem. Danny was glad that he could make the stress on Vlad's life easier. Most nights, Danny would listen as Vlad would read different poems to him as they both unwound from the duties of the day. One night, Danny had been the one to read the poems and had laughed when he looked to see that Vlad had fallen asleep on the recliner.

It was a Friday morning, marking the third week that Danny had started living with Vlad. Danny was at the coffee machine. Vlad had went out an hour ago, mumbling that Jack had wanted to tell him something before they both had to go to their classes. When Danny heard the door being slammed shut, he knew that something was wrong.

"Vlad?" Danny had called as he walked into the living room, watching as Vlad had kicked off his shoes and was now trying to free himself from his jacket.

"Damn this cursed jacket," Vlad cursed.

Danny walked over to Vlad and helped him take his jacket off, watching as Vlad walked over to his recliner. He laid his head back, resting his arm across his face, allowing himself to cry in the comfort of his home. "Vlad, are you okay?" Danny asked as he made his way over to the couch and sat at the very end so he could rest his hand on Vlad's knee.

"I fear I am not 'okay'" Vlad answered bitterly, looking at Danny with reddened eyes. His tone was meant to hurt Danny, to make him go away while Vlad was left to deal with his problems alone, but Danny wouldn't allow Vlad to chase him away so easily.

"I know you are just trying to release your emotions on me, but I'm not leaving. Now, tell me why are you so upset? You are missing your classes and we both know that you wouldn't miss any of your courses unless something bad happened." Danny rubbed his thumb against the inside of Vlad's knee, noticing that Vlad's breathing had started to even out.

The older male removed his arm from his face and sat up to look at Danny, his eyes bloodshot from crying to hard. He took a deep breath in and allowed himself to tell his story. "Jack had told me yesterday that he had something to tell me, but he needed to think it over. I didn't think too much about it because of the fact that it's Jack, he is never serious about anything. When I met up with him this morning, he had Maddie standing beside him. They both looked at me as I approached them and they both had the audacity to tell me about the relationship they've been hiding from me for three months. Three months they both lied to me and they both just thought that I would be okay with it! Madeline knew that I had feelings for her and I thought Jack was supposed to be my friend, but instead they both decided that it would have been best to lie to me instead of being truthful. It made it worse because they told me in public and I was unable to say what I wanted to about it. They both had so much pity in their eyes, they felt sorry for me."

It was odd that Vlad had allowed himself to be so vulnerable, especially since he hadn't know Danny for so long, but it seemed to be that Danny was the only one who Vlad could depend on. Danny reached forward and laid his hand on Vlad's shoulder. "I'm sorry that they told you about their relationship in such a public place, it must of been hard to be forced to control your emotions. It was wrong of them to tell you in such a public place, because you had no way of fighting back."

"Why am I not good enough for her? I was foolish and couldn't see the little signs that they both gave off when they were around each other. They both always wanted to sit next to each other and every night after we would hang out, Jack would insist on taking Madeline home without me. I was dumb and put too much trust in them. It caused me to be blind to the fact that they could have went behind my back," Vlad said, ignoring the fact that Danny was still in the room with him. He was furious with his so called 'friends' and was even more upset with the fact of how he was allowing his emotions to get the best of him. He was Vlad Masters, a man known for his money and his ability to hide his emotions. It was something he had always done at a young age, especially because of the fact that everyone he had ever befriended only wanted to use him from a young age. He had learned that those around him were just using him and once they were finished with him, he would be tossed aside. "I just thought they were different."

Danny bit the bottom of his lip, unsure of how he should comfort Vlad. It was strange, he had no idea how broken the older man was after finding out about Maddie and Jack's relationship, but now he was experiencing it first hand. He felt pained to see the man looking so vulnerable. Vlad's black hair was sticking up, his eyes were red and swollen, while tears were glued against his face. Danny got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, pulling out the container of cookies he had made while Vlad had been out. They weren't the greatest, some were even a bit burnt from the boy's inability to keep track of time. As he grabbed the jar, he heard a loud crash coming from the living room. Running in, he saw that Vlad had thrown a picture of Jack and Maddie on the floor, the glass frame scattered along the carpeted floor.

"Vlad," Danny called as he stepped over the glass, careful not to cut himself. He took his seat on the couch and hid the jar of cookies behind his back. He grabbed the older man's hand, finally gaining his attention. Danny looked over Vlad's hand, making sure it was free of any cuts or marks from the shattered glass. "I'm glad you are okay, you didn't cut your hand at least. I wanted to surprise you," Danny said shyly, grabbing the container of cookies from behind him, offering them to Vlad. "I know you don't like to eat sweet things, so I made some cookies for you, but I got a recipe for coffee flavored cookies, so they shouldn't be too sweet. I was hoping they would keep you energized while you attended class or did homework. I'm sorry they are a bit burnt, but I it was my first time making them. I promise not to burn them next time, so please don't cry anymore. It makes me sad to see you so upset. I know how it feels to have the love of your life taken from your hands, especially by your best friend."

It was true. Sam was Danny's first love and when they were dating, he was the happiest he had ever been. Sadly, Sam didn't feel quite the same as Danny did. She loved him, but as a little brother and she broke up with him months after they first started dating. It sucked and Danny was heartbroken, but he didn't want to hate Sam, so he accepted that their relationship would never be more than friends. Once they entered their senior year of high school, Sam admitted to Danny that she and Tucker had grown closer to each other over the summer. She then told Danny that they were both dating and had been since the beginning of August. Danny knew that Vlad was feeling the same way he had felt when Sam had told him about her relationship with Tuck, but Vlad never expressed his emotions, so the older man seemed unable to deal with them.

As Danny held out the jar of cookies, Vlad looked at the young man, surprised that Danny had stayed to comfort him. He grabbed one of the cookies from the jar and took a small bite of it, tears filling his eyes again. He was flabbergasted that Danny had went out of his way to cook something for Vlad, especially since the older man was picky when it came to eating sweets. He set the cookie down on the coffee table and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

Danny panicked, worried that the cookie had somehow hurt Vlad. "Vlad?" Danny questioned, looking up at the older man. He felt Vlad wrap his arm around Danny's slender waist, pulling him closer.

"I'm fine," Vlad said and truthfully. He felt better knowing that Danny cared about him, even if it was only a tiny bit. The boy had stayed with Vlad, dealing with his tantrum as he complained about the boy's other two friends. "I've never had someone put so much effort into making me happy, you are the first," Vlad admitted, pulling away from the boy. He wiped at his eyes one last time before smoothing back his hair, standing from the recliner. "I know that Jack and Madeline had their reasons for wanting to hide their relationship. I'm still upset over the fact, but I will push my emotions to the side so that I can learn to accept it and move on. I still feel betrayed, but they are the two first friends I have had and I would hate to lose them over something so trivial. I guess you will need to put up with me for a little bit more though, because I'm not sure what I want to say to them."

"I know it feels like you were betrayed, but just know that they probably didn't tell you because they wanted to protect you. It doesn't justify what they did, but it does mean that they considered your feelings, if only a little bit. I'm sure you'll find someone else in which you can love," Danny said. He knew it wasn't the truth though. Vlad was obsessed with his mother, even through his adulthood. It hurt Danny to know that Vlad would never be truly happy, especially after he had seen Vlad in a different light, one in which many had not seen. "I think you need a break from everything though. I know exams are coming up soon, so you are stressing yourself out and this whole ordeal didn't help. Maybe we should go out this weekend? Nothing too expensive, but maybe we can go on a picnic at the park near the school. I can make us lunch and you can bring some poetry to read."

Vlad smiled, a genuine smile. It was odd seeing the affectionate look on the man, but Danny himself knew that Vlad wasn't completely cold. He was a kind man, at least during his college years. The experiment must have really changed him, but Danny knew that he would allow Vlad to be affected in such a negative way. He wanted the man to have a brighter future, one that was better than what was planned for him. "Thank you, that does sound like a wonderful idea. I do need to relax a bit, especially after today. I'm going to go grab a pair of gloves to pick up this glass. I don't want either of us to be getting cut by the sharp edges."

The older man walked across the living room, careful to avoid stepping on the glass as he made his way to the front door. "Don't get near that until I get back. I can't have my roommate getting hurt, I'm sure that will cause an uproar of rumors around campus," Vlad stated as he waved goodbye to Danny and shut the door behind him.

Danny waved back, watching the door shut softly. It was nice to see that Vlad wasn't so upset anymore, but the young half ghost was still worried about the man. He seemed to be so emotionally wrecked when he first came back home, but now he seemed to be a bit more cheerful. The younger man went into the kitchen, grabbing the trash can that was placed against the wall and brought it back into the living room, setting the bin beside the broken glass. He knew Vlad told him to not touch the glass, but Danny thought that if he were to be careful enough, he wouldn't have to worry about cutting open his skin.

The glass was almost completely cleared, the last shard was being lightly held in Danny's hand as the door opened. Vlad entered the apartment, gardening gloves on his hands as he looked down to see Danny kneeling beside the area where the glass had been moments ago. Danny turned his head to see Vlad standing there, shocked to see the older man back so quickly, Danny let the glass shard fall from his hand, the sharp edges scraping against his skin. He didn't register the pain until he saw Vlad quickly moving to him, his eyes filled with worry. "This is why I told you not to touch the glass! Your finger is bleeding!"

Vlad grabbed Danny's wrist lightly as he pulled the boy up from the floor and walked the boy to the bathroom. The older man had removed the gloves and turned the sink on, the water rushing out of the faucet as if it were trying to escape. "Please forgive me Daniel, this is going to sting for a few moments," Vlad informed the younger man as he placed the bloody finger under the rush of the water.

"It hurts," Danny whimpered as he tried to pull away, the pressure of Vlad's hand keeping his finger under the faucet. The water was dyed a deep red as the blood mixed in.

  Vlad reached up to the medicine cabinet that was above the sink and pulled out a package of bandages and antibacterial cream. He slowed the pace of the water and pulled up Danny's finger, pressing a washcloth against the open wound in hopes that the bleeding would stop. "I can't believe you purposely disobeyed me and now you've gone and gotten yourself hurt. I don't think the cut is too deep, so you shouldn't need to get stitches," Vlad explained as he pulled out a band-aid and unwrapped it before placing it over Danny's injured finger. Vlad had dabbed a small amount of the antibacterial cream on the band-aid, making sure it made contact with the wound. "Promise me you won't do anything like this again Daniel, that was dangerous and it was my own fault."

Blue eyes looked into grey as Danny nodded in agreement. Danny didn't enjoy causing Vlad to get angry, especially since he was having such a hard day already. "I promise Vlad, but I was trying to help you out a bit. I knew how hard your day has been, so I wanted to give you a day where you could relax. You've been so stressed out lately and the incident with Maddie couldn't have been good for you either."

"Daniel," Vlad said quietly, smiling softly at the boy. "I appreciate your consideration, but you have made me worry by picking up glass bare-handed." Vlad let out a small laugh because of Danny's look of confusion. "Thank you though, but next time just listen to me okay? You are the type to act without clearly thinking through the consequences of your actions. Like you didn't think how I would have reacted if you were to harm yourself by picking up the glass pieces without gloves."

Nodding, Danny looked at his wounded finger, glad that no more blood was pouring out from the wound. He was thankful for Vlad's help in fixing him up, but he knew that thanks to his ghost powers he would be healed in a short matter of time. Nonetheless, the boy was happy to see that Vlad's character was much kinder back before the accident. For the first time since he was sent back in time, Danny started to question how he could possibly achieve his overall goal. He didn't want to give Vlad the idea of creating a ghost portal, yet how was he supposed to know when the prototype would be completed? The young half ghost could ask Vlad about the different weapons he was working on, but the man seemed to keep his work to himself, though Danny was sure the older man would cave into telling Danny if he bothered him enough.

Vlad noticed Danny's empty look and softly laid his hand on the boy's shoulder,  causing the boy to be disrupted from his thoughts. "A penny for your thoughts?" Vlad asked softly as he started to clean up the blood covered sink. "You seemed to be off in your own little world. Anything you'd like to talk about?"

"I'm just surprised by how quickly you've recovered from the little problem you had faced this morning. You seem to be a bit more happier," Danny answered easily, the excuse making the man nod back in agreement.

"I do admit that I was heart broken and I'm not going to be interested in anyone else anytime soon, but a  part of me is relieved. I know it sounds crazy, but I had been suspecting that Jack and Maddie were in an intimate relationship. Them telling me about their relationship will make it easier for me to move on to finding someone different. I'm upset, still furious about the whole ordeal really, but what you witnessed was me throwing a tantrum," Vlad explained, throwing the soiled rag into the hamper to be cleaned. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, but I'm glad you were there to talk to me about everything. I've never really had anyone there to talk to me."

Danny smiled at the man, using his unharmed hand, resting it against Vlad's shoulder. "There's no need for apologies, I know the pain caused by heart ache. It's excruciating and causes nothing but misery. I know you'll get through it though and you'll feel better, because I'll be there with you every step of the way."

Warm arms wrapped around Danny's waist as Vlad rested his cheek against the other boy's shoulder, tears slowly traveling down his face as he felt his emotions break lose. "Thank you, Daniel. In no way do I deserve the kindness that you have been showing me, especially after I had treated you so poorly in the beginning."

"That's all in the pass," Daniel said quietly as he held the man, who's shoulders trembled as his tears fell harder.  
~~~~

After the incident in the bathroom, Vlad only smiles around Daniel. Two days had passed since the unfortunate event that had occurred and Vlad had yet to speak to Jack or Maddie about it. The two friends had stopped by Vlad's apartment many times, but whenever Danny mentioned their names, Vlad always made the younger man turn them away. Maddie and Jack wouldn't usually fight Vlad's decision, but both of them would leave with frowns on their faces and tears rimming their eyes.  
~~~~

As Danny closed the door once more, watching Jack walk away with slumped shoulders, he knew that he couldn't let this go on any longer. The young half ghost walked over to Vlad's room, lightly tapping his knuckles against the wood door. It took Vlad a moment to answer, but Danny heard a very low, 'come in.'

"Vlad, we need to talk," Danny stated as he walked into the dimly lit room, seeing the man hunched over his desk as he worked on another ghost hunting machine. "It's been a week since Jack and Maddie told you about their relationship, isn't it about time you forgave them? They are your best friends and I know you don't show it, but you miss them too."

Vlad turned in his chair, looking up at Danny. "Daniel," he said softly, crossing his hands in his lap. "I do not hold any resentment towards them. I'm just not ready to face them yet. I have to collect my own thoughts and decide on how I'm going to go about talking to them again." Vlad turned away, his voice growing softer as he finished his sentence. He wasn't lying when he said that he had already forgiven his friends, but he wasn't used to dealing with these situations, so he had no clue on what he should do.

Danny sensed the older man's confusion and let out a loud sigh, crossing the room before he stood beside Vlad. "How about we invite them over for dinner? I can make something nice and we can ask them to bring some desserts while you discuss everything with them? They are trying their hardest to get you to forgive them, yet all you seem to be doing is pushing them away." Danny now had the palm oh his hand pressed against Vlad's back, gently rubbing circles on the older man's back.

A mumble of agreement was heard as Vlad pressed himself away from the desk and he was now leaning into Danny's touch. "You're right, I shouldn't allow this to go on any longer. I even cleaned out the storage room just so I could have a place to work on my ghost equipment, it's silly of me to be working in my own home with unpredictable equipment. At least in the science lab I have the necessary equipment if anything were to go wrong in the process of testing my experiments."

"I'm glad you are seeing things my way. If you'd like, I can go to Jack's dorm and invite him while you plan one what you need to say," Danny offered as he stopped the circular motions o Vlad's back. He rested his hands on the older man's shoulder, massaging the stiff muscles. "I'm sure that Jack will then be able to relay the news to Maddie. It's up to you though," Danny encourage, smiling as he heard Vlad let out a small sigh as Danny continued pressing his fingers against the knot's in the older man's back.

"Why do I have someone as wonderful as you around to keep me company?" Vlad questioned, not noticing the light shade of red that colored Danny's cheeks. "I swear nothing in this world that I have done has given me a reason to have someone like you around," Vlad smiled, leaning his head back to look at Danny. "If you don't mind asking them, that would really help me out. I need some time to calm my nerves and to maybe plan out the conversation. I want you to be there though, it will help to know that someone is actually on my side when I confront them about everything."

Danny looked away from Vlad, feeling a bit embarrassed by the older man's praises. He was so used to the venomous insults they would both spew at each other while fighting, he didn't know how to handle the kind words they were both exchanging. It made him a little sad to know that this kind man sitting before him would one day turn into an evil villain who was constantly trying to kill his father for marrying his mother. Danny made a promise to himself then and there, he would do his best to make sure that in the future Vlad didn't grow to be the lonely old man that Danny knew. He would work hard to find someone that interested Vlad, someone he could spend his life with and he would keep the prototype ghost portal from spitting out ectogoo at Vlad. After spending a month with Vlad, Danny knew that there was a way for Vlad to be happy and he was determined to give him that happiness.

"It's what friends do for each other, right?" Danny questioned, finally looking back at Vlad, noticing how the other man was staring at him, a small smile adoring Vlad's face. Danny felt his cheeks heat up, noting that Vlad was actually handsome, especially when he smiled. "Should I tell them to be here around six? Since it's Saturday they shouldn't have any classes today and they'll have a bit of time to work on any assignments their professors handed to them."

Vlad nodded in agreement, looking back to his desk at the pile of papers scattered around. Danny knew that Vlad was now lost in his own thoughts, probably knowing the older man he was thinking of how he was going to confront his two friends. Danny wasn't envious of Vlad, but he was just happy that the older man wasn't going to deal with the problem by himself. Though Danny traveled into the past to fix the mistakes of his parents, he planned on helping Vlad in anyway he could. Maybe he could keep Vlad from turning into the bitter old man he was in the future. "I'll be back," Danny said quietly, leaving Vlad's room and stepping into the dorms living room.

The young half ghost pulled on the light jacket that Vlad had allowed him to borrow, zipping up the black cotton jacket before stepping out the front door into the chilly autumn air. For the few months that Danny had been stuck in the past, he had watched as the leaves changed different colors and the students continued attending their classes, many of them working ahead of time to study for the exams that would be given out before Christmas break. Danny continued walking across the campus, making his way over to the male dorm rooms. As he was walking, Danny's thoughts trailed to Vlad, hoping that the other man was okay being alone. Vlad seemed to be the type of person who thought best alone, so Danny was glad that he had offered to go invite Jack and Maddie to dinner tonight. It would give Vlad time to think and to allow him the opportunity to get his emotions in check before he would be forced to talk to his friends.

Before Danny knew it, he was already standing in front of Jack's door. He knocked twice, stuffing his hands into his pocket as he waited for someone to answer the door.

"What's up?" Jack's roommate, Robbie answered, staring Danny down as he leaned against the door frame.

Danny had only met Robbie one other time while he was getting lunch with Maddie and Jack a few weeks back. He didn't actually mean to run into Jack or Maddie, but they both saw him and wanted to explain their side of the story to Danny. Danny had agreed to hear them out, learning that they had been trying to tell Vlad for months that they had been dating, but they didn't want him to feel like the third wheel whenever they went out together, so they thought they would wait until Vlad had another friend to rely on, which to them was Danny. Robbie had been there with Jack, tagging along because he was hungry and didn't feel like going out alone for food. Robbie mainly just looked out the restaurant window the whole time, only occasionally would he intervene in their conversation, usually adding some sarcastic comment. Danny wasn't too fond of him, but beause he was Jack's roommate he was trying his hardest to get along with him.

Robbie was a bigger man though, with sandy red hair that was curled so much it looked like an afro on top of his head. He wasn't big as in the sense of his stomach, but the man was part of the football team and did work out quite often. Maybe that's the reason Danny never got along with Robbie, maybe he wasn't meant to be friends with any of the football players at any school he went to. Robbie was wearing sweatpants though, wearing one of the school's many t-shirts. He glared at Danny with his brown eyes, staring straight at the boy with a bored expression on his face.

"I didn't expect company from Vlad's little dog," Robbie said. He didn't really see Danny as his own person, only associating him with Vlad because of the fact that Vlad had Danny running random errands when he was too busy with classes or homework. Danny didn't doubt for a minute that Jack was the one who told Robbie about his relationship with Vlad, not in a cruel way, but Jack was a very open person who was always talking about something.

"Hello Robbie," Danny greeted, smiling at the boy. "I was wondering if Jack was in and if I was possibly able to speak to him?"

Robbie sighed, looking annoyed now rather than bored. "Jack!" He hollered, leaving Danny on the porch as he went back into the dorm, hopefully searching for Jack

Danny stood there, taking in a deep breath as Robbie left. He was happy to spend as minimal time possible with the other boy, He didn't honestly know how Jack was able to spend so much time around Robbie, but when Danny had asked, Jake had told him that he didn't know what he was talking about. The young boy just guessed that Jack took everything as a joke and that Robbie didn't talk to Jack too much.

The door creaked open as Jack stepped on the porch, looking relieved to see Danny. "What's up Dannyboy?" he asked, smiling widely.

"Actually, I'm here on Vlad's behalf. He wanted to invite you and Maddie over for dinner tonight so that you can all talk about what happened. He sent me to ask you, because he wants to get everything prepared and he was working on homework. I was actually wondering if you can ask Maddie to come. I figured you both would want to talk about it for a bit. We'll be having dinner at around six, so if you both wanted to come feel free to," Danny explained, returning Jack's smile.

"Yeah, I can tell her. we were actually about to go out to lunch together, so I'll tell her then. How is Vlad holding up? Is he doing any better? I thought that he wouldn't care as much with you being there for him, but I guess I was wrong," Jack said, his smiled disappearing. "We never wanted to hurt him, you know that right? We love Vlad like family, but we hated lying to him and we knew he deserved the right to know."

Danny nodded, knowing that they didn't intentionally hurt him, but they hurt him nonetheless. "I know, but these are words you should save for Vlad. I'm not mad at either of you guys and I know Vlad isn't either. He misses you two, but his pride won't let him forgive you so easily."

"Yeah, I know," Jack sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Well, I should get ready for my date with Maddie. I'll see you and Vlad at six. By Danny," Jack said, dismissing the conversation.

The younger boy said goodbye, turning to leave as Jack shut the door. He made his way through the campus ground again, shivering as he felt a cold breeze brush against him. He stared at the ground, quietly humming to himself. The one thing he missed most about his time was the musicians he loved. He was curious as to why Clockwork sent him so far into the pass, why couldn't he have sent him to the day his parents revealed the prototype? Then he could have just destroyed it before they were able to use it. What will happen to Vlad once he stops them from using the portal though? As these questions filled his mind, he saw a small wisp of blue air leave his mouth, indicating that there was a ghost near by. He scanned the area, looking for an area so that he can transform. He ran behind the dorms, double checking to make sure that nobody was around before he silently transformed, the white rings glowing around his body.

It was always a thrill transforming. His hair changing from it's charcoal grey to a white as bright as the moon. His eyes changed from their normal sea blue, to a bright green. It was as if his eyes were radioactive. He had made a few accommodations to his outfit, the logo no longer in the middle of his chest, but now was resting against his heart. His shoes had changed to combat boots, now black in color. Though he still had a slim figure, he had gained muscles over years of fighting. As his transformation finished, he looked to see Clockwork himself standing above him, his child form looking down at him.

"I know what you are thinking young boy," he greeted, watching as Danny floated up to him. "I guess I should have made myself clear as to why I sent you back here, but there's only so much information I can give you. Just know that you are meant to be here now, so don't second guess yourself. When Vlad and Maddie finish the calculations for the prototype portal, ask Vlad to double check the math, only then will he catch the mistake. You yourself should know I can't allow you to destroy the portal though, Vlad needs to become a halfa like you. If he doesn't, how do you expect your pass self to grow stronger? Trust me when I say this, I know what happens before it even does."

"Why can't you tell me anymore?" Danny questioned, looking to see unaware students passing below them.

Clockwork sighed, his body shifting to that of the older version, his body looking old and decrepit. "If I tell you anymore, the future will be changed. I even knew that I would be having this conversation with you now. Don't forget Daniel, I know all and see all." Clockwork's body soon disappeared, a soft glow being left in his place as he returned to his realm, leaving Danny alone and even more confused.

Danny turned invisible, floating through the air as he made his way over the campus. It had been awhile since he had been in his ghost form and he knew that his other half was getting a bit frisky. It's not like there were two parts of him, but he did feel a bit suffocated if he wasn't able to transform into a ghost. As Danny was standing above Vlad's dorm, he looked past the outside walls, checking inside to see where Vlad was. Since Vlad was still in his room, Danny decided that it would be safe for him to change back into human form in their bathroom.

Floating down to the dorm roof, the half ghost turned intangible, easily passing through the brick surface and landing in the bathroom. He stood a few inches in the air, changing back into his human form, his feet making contact with the sturdy ground under him. Danny looked in the mirror, fixing his hair before going back to see Vlad. He frowned, messing up his hair. Why did he feel the need to look nice for Vlad? He left the small room, taking the few small steps needed to stand before Vlad's door. He knocked, hearing a silent 'come in' from Vlad.

"You returned later than I thought you would," Vlad commented, turning to Vlad as he straightened out his button up shirt. Vlad had decided he needed to actually clean himself up. He had locked himself in his rooms for the past few days, only coming out to use the bathroom and attend his classes. Danny had been bring Vlad's food to him so he could eat. Part of the reason was because he had homework to do and he needed to study for his upcoming exams. The other reason was because he didn't really want to deal with anyone, instead he preferred drowning himself in his work and thinking about equations, instead of thinking about his own problem. Once Danny had left, Vlad had decided to go shower and then picked out clothing that would be suitable for a nice dinner. He needed the confidence and even if he didn't feel it, he definitely was going to pretend by dressing as if he was.

"I ran into someone and we got into a bit of a discussion. Is little Vladdy sad because he missed me," Danny teased, walking over to the older man to fix his collar.

Vlad coughed, almost chocking as he did so. "That's absurd! I was only worried that you had gotten bullied by someone or maybe you could have been kidnapped."

"I'm fine Vlad, I'm not that much younger than you," Danny said, reminding the junior that there was only a two year difference in their age. It was nice having Vlad worry for him, even if he was gone for less than two hours. He could be gone all night and his parents never noticed that he was gone. Sometimes he would even tell his parents that he was coming out and would come back hours later, they never cared about where he had gone or what he was doing. In a sense he was glad he had the freedom they gave him, but he sometimes wished that his parents would have paid more attention to him and less attention to their contraptions. "Thank you for worrying about me though, I can promise you that nothing went wrong and I just ran in to someone."

The older man rubbed his chin skeptically, wondering who Danny had met that occupied so much of the boy's time. He didn't want to ask though, fearing that the Danny would get annoyed with his constant worrying. "Alright, just know if anyone was picking on you, you can tell me. I'll put a stop to it, because you don't deserve to be treated poorly by the insignificant fools that sadly attend this college." Vlad walked up to the boy, ruffling his hair by running his fingers through the soft strands. He smiled softly, continuing the motions, playing with the young boy's charcoal hair could become an addiction. He shook his head, quietly cursing himself as he placed his hand to his side. Vlad shouldn't have played with Danny's hair, he didn't want to invade Danny's personal space. "Shall we make go out and grab stuff for dinner tonight? I finished the majority of my homework and studied what subjects I wasn't feeling as confident on."

Danny rested his hands on top of his head, working swiftly to fix the stray strands caused by Vlad messing with his hair.  He looked up at Vlad, wondering about his actions. Danny knew it was probably an action of affection, but he couldn't ignore the feeling of his stomach twisting in a knot. He nodded, his mouth too dry to speak as he walked out of Vlad's room, the older man following behind him.

They both grabbed their jackets from the closet beside the front door, slipping them on before they stepped outside. Vlad stopped outside the door, making sure to lock it before they set off on their journey.

As they walled across the campus, Danny noticed everyone starring. He was used to them watching him whenever he was walking with Vlad, but he just seemed more aware of them looking now that the sun was shinning brightly. He grew anxious, knowing what the stares meant. All through high school he was the outcast, everyone watching him, yet never approaching him. Of course once he left high school, he didn't think he would ever be in that situation again, but he seemed to have been wrong.

"Daniel?" Vlad questioned as he leaned down, whispering so that Danny himself only heard him. "Are you okay? You look pale as a ghost." It would be stupid of Vlad not to notice how uncomfortable Danny was. The boy was practically trying to retreat against himself. He was like a snail trying to hide from predators in his shell.

Danny looked up, leaning closer to Vlad. "It's just that everyone is staring and they're not even trying to hide the fact that they are staring at you," Danny told Vlad.

Vlad looked around, noting all the people that were actually looking. He never really minded the attention before. He just pitied those he felt the need to judge him, because it just proved that there life was so boring that they needed to judge others to waste time. Vlad sadly looked down at the boy, feeling a strong need to protect the boy. Vlad himself had never been physically abused by any of his fellow students, but they would constantly watch him and it seemed that their was a new rumor about him once a month. "I know, but just ignore it, okay? They won't hurt you and if they feel the need to judge, let them. They aren't worth our time and you are better than them. You are smart, creative, empathetic, kind, and so many more things. They are nothing compared to you."

The young ghost boy was shocked to hear Vlad talk so highly about him. He smiled softly before looking down at the ground. He couldn't look up at Vlad, instead he would follow the movement of Vlad's feet, using them to continue walking beside the boy. "Yeah, thanks."

They both stayed quiet, Vlad content with the silence so he could be alone with his thoughts and Danny was happy to just focus on the human beside him. Sometimes silence is comfortable as it is and words can ruin the peace silence brings.

~~~

Shopping had been an experience. Vlad was constantly wanting to purchase the most expensive ingredients, while Danny would talk him out of it, telling the junior that he should save up some of his money for other stuff. Vlad would just laugh, but nonetheless he allowed Danny to have the final decision. 

It was now four-thirty, both men were standing in the kitchen. Danny had offered to cook while Vlad studied more, but Vlad had denied Danny's request and was keen on helping him make dinner. Now they both were wearing white aprons, surrounded by the ingredients needed to cook.

With both of them in the kitchen, it was a bit challenging. They both had their own way of doing things and they would on occasion bump into each other, a variety of ingredients falling to the floor. Though Vlad would be mad by the fact that his kitchen was getting covered in food and in return that would attract ants, he couldn't help but laugh and smile. He never realized how much fun it could be to cook with someone before.

Dinner was finished and the table was set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's been a rough day, so I thought I would upload this chapter. Any spelling mistakes are my own and like always, comments, kudos, critics, and anything else is welcome. Tell me what you think will happen or want to happen. I plan on making chapters exploring their kinks in the future, but that's probably not until this is all over. I have an idea on how I want this to end, which won't be for awhile, but I do plan on making a sequel, even if it's only three chapters.


	4. "The Flowered Garden"

Dinner had ended and Jack left with Maddie, walking the girl to her dorm as he had done so many times. Danny was fixing warm milk for him and Vlad, hoping that it would be able to relax them both. Danny walked into the living room, two mugs of milk in his hands. He smiled when Vlad looked up at him, their book of poems already resting on his lap. The younger boy noticed that they were almost finished with it and would be on the lookout for another book of poems at the library or maybe the bookstore. He sat on the couch, setting his mug of milk down on the end table and offering the other mug to Vlad. 

They sat in silence, Danny twisting the edges of his blanket as Vlad sipped the milk, clearing his mind of the days events. He wasn't feeling any anger towards Jack and Maddie anymore, but instead he was feeling relieved? Maybe by letting Maddie go he would be able to find someone else in which he can rely on, someone who will only have eyes for him. He sighed, smiling softly as he set down his mug next to Danny's, looking to the boy.

"Thank you, Daniel," he suddenly said, taking the boy by surprise. He held up his hand though as soon as he saw Danny's mouth open, probably about to argue that there was no need to thank him. Imagining that made Vlad smile more, the boy was so selfless and didn't seem to know how much it meant to Vlad that he was there for him. "I know that you're about to tell me that I don't need to give you my thanks, but I feel that it is owed. Before you I feel that I never really had anyone to talk to at least not to the degree I talk to you. I get annoyed by people easily, so it's hard for me to make friends, but you've stood beside me, ignoring any of my advances to get rid of you. I know that I can rely on Jack and Maddie too, but sometimes I feel like they are both on a whole new level, I guess I was right. I never wanted to bother them with my burdens so  I never told them when I was having a problem, but Maddie would always give me encouraging whenever she thought I needed them, I guess that's why I fell for her. She was smart and able to keep up with my own thoughts, while at the same time she was stunningly beautiful. Maybe I just felt attachment towards her, like a stray cat that you feed. No matter what it was, I think I'll be able to let my feelings for her to disperse. If it was anyone besides Jack, I wouldn't give her up, but I know that he'll treat her right and she deserves someone who can make her smile."

Danny thought for a moment, before finally deciding to place his hand on the older man's knee, taking them both by surprise. His mouth was dry as he looked at Vlad, figuring out what he wanted to say. "You would have made her happy, but now you have the chance to make someone else happier. I know someone is out there for you, someone who will be there for you when you get lonely or stressed out," or so Danny hoped. After seeing this vulnerable side of Vlad, he knew that there was hope. "Maybe she wasn't right for you, but that doesn't mean you should quit looking for someone. You may find someone who you can relate to more, someone who's able to put up with your crazy obsessions with ghosts." 

Vlad chuckled quietly, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "Thank you Daniel, for everything. The dinner you made was simply scrumptious, you cleaned the house spotless, and you even had the time to comfort me as I had a breakdown. Honestly, I feel like you could be my best friend, even though we've only known each other for a month. Though I guess time doesn't matter, it's how we spend it that matters and we do spend a lot of time together."

"Hey, it's not my fault that Jack volunteered you to live with me and you would be hopeless without me, fruit loop," Danny laughed, freezing as he realized he had called Vlad by the nickname he gave him in the future.

"Fruit loop?" Vlad questioned, smiling. "Fine, I will be your fruit loop, but then you are my little badger, is that okay?"

It was strange that Vlad was calling Danny by the nickname he calls him in the future, maybe it was just a common name for people back in the days. Nonetheless, Danny smiled and nodded his head, happy that they both now had nicknames for each other. "I don't mind being your little badger, but maybe we should only use these names in private or when we are around Jack and Maddie. I think you might become more of a social outcast if you are calling for you 'little badger' across the campus."

They both laughed, the air around them both clearing up and turning into something more lighthearted. As the laughter died down, they both quickly finished their milk and Vlad opened their book of poems, landing on the page they had bookmarked in advance.

Vlad cleared his throat, putting on his reading glasses as he went on reading the poem, "As if a phantom carass'd me, I thought I was not alone walking here by the shore; but the one I thought was with me, as now I walk by the shore. The one I loved, that carass'd me, as I lean and look through the glimmering light , that one has utterly disappear'd and those appear that are hateful to me, and mock me." Vlad read softly, his back pressed to the chair.

Danny swallowed a lump in his throat, the words hitting too close to everything. He wouldn't allow Vlad to walk alone, that he promised to himself. He wouldn't allow others to mock Vlad and to abandon him when he gets the echo acne, instead he would be there beside the older man, guiding him the best he can along the way. He was lost in thought, not noticing that Vlad had been calling to him for the past few seconds. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Danny asked.

"You just looked pale as a ghost and you seemed to be lost in thought. Was there something you wanted to share?" Vlad offered, shutting the book and giving all his attention to the young boy seated on the couch. 

"I just, that poem is really deep, especially at a time like now. I should be asking if you are okay with reading it, maybe you should have skipped over that one."

"Nonsense, I think some light could be shed upon this poem if we thing about it. Maybe there really was someone walking beside him or maybe he was reliving a beloved memory he had of someone and by remembering it it's giving him the sense that they are there beside him, watching over him and keeping him from being lonely. Once the voice fades though, he's left to deal with the mockery of others, but maybe the feeling of his phantom will return to him. I don't think the character will ever be truly alone, having the memories of his loved ones to keep him company when he needs it," Vlad explained, closing his eyes in hopes that one day he will too experience the happiness of having someone there to keep him from being lonely.

Danny was staring and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. He never would have guessed that Vlad was actually romantic and that the man was able to create a positive meaning behind a poem filled with pain and loneliness. Danny was surprised everyday, learning new things about  Vlad as they spent more time together. He learned that Vlad was an amazing cook, but was rarely able to do so due to the amount of work he had. Even though he didn't show it, Danny knew that Vlad was self conscious about all the rumors that were spread about him, using his cold attitude as a form of defense against new people. Danny knew that Vlad wasn't invincible, if anything he might need someone more than others, he just didn't think that he was worth it.

"I like your look on it, you give a brighter meaning to the poem, while at the same time keeping the somber backstory to it. I hope that in a way that's what Whitman meant, it would be a little depressing if not," Danny agreed, laying on the couch, his stomach pushing into the cushions so he could continue looking at Vlad. "If you don't mind, could we maybe stop there and maybe talk to each other instead?"

Vlad agreed, bookmarking their page before setting it down, folding his hands in his lap as he looked at the young boy spread along the couch. "Anything in particular you would like to discuss?"

"Why are you so interested in ghosts? Have you ever experienced the paranormal activity before?" Danny questioned, kicking his feet softly, his chin laying in his hands while his elbows are propped against the couch.

"That's not really an easy question to answer, but I can tell you that I became interested in them during my teen years. I was just always curious to what happens after one dies, so I grew an interest. I guess what sparked my interest is that my grandfather died when I was entering my first year of middle school, he was the only family member I was really close to, so I was greatly affected by it. I grew lonely thinking that he might be gone forever, so I wanted to study if there was actually really an afterlife. I haven't ever seen a ghost nor anything relating to one, but I would like to one day know if they really exist," Vlad explained, thinking quickly of what he wanted to say. Nobody really took interest in him before, so it was new to him that someone was actually curious about why he liked what he did like. It was nice to know that someone cared enough about him to ask about his past. "What about you, why do you express such an interest in them?"

Danny couldn't really tell Vlad the real reason behind his curiosity, if you could call it that. He knew a lot about ghosts and their world, but at the same time he didn't know everything. A lot of what he learned though was from Vlad in the future and clockwork to some degree. "I guess it would be because of my parents. I was taught from a young age how to hunt ghosts and they would read me stories about their ghost hunting experiences instead of actual stories. I think it's an interesting enough topic though, especially since we have very limited information on ghosts at the moment."

"Maybe one day you could introduce me to your parents, I would love to discuss our different theories and to see some of their experiments," Vlad mentioned, watching Danny as he nodded, the boy's mouth opening wide as he yawned.

"I know you'll meet them one day, but that's far into the future," Danny said, laying his head down on the pillow Vlad had provided, his eyes falling shut.

Vlad stood from his spot, looking to see that the young boy was already asleep. He wasn't surprised in the least, especially since the boy had a long day. Vlad tucked the boy in, grabbing the blanket from under Danny and throwing it over him. He leaned down, brushing the boy's hair from his face. If anyone had told him that he was smiling while looking at the sleeping boy, he would have called them a liar, but if anyone was standing in the room, they would know the truth. He turned away, sighing as he walked to his room, dreading another night of sleeping alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny woke up first, not even aware that he had fallen asleep. He sat up, the covers falling from his shoulders as he did so. He imagined that Vlad had been the one to cover him up and he couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips, knowing that the older man cared about he enough to cover him up. He turned his body, his legs hanging over the edge of the couch as he quickly folded the blanket. After he was done, he got off of the couch and made his way to the bathroom, keeping his routine of showering after waking up. As he stepped out of the shower, his towel wrapped around his waist. He shivered uncontrollably as he felt the cold air kissing his wet skin. The young man pulled the cloth tighter around his body and tried to dry off as fast as possible. He had planned on surprising Vlad with some pancakes before they started their day. Neither had plans today, seeing as it was Sunday Vlad would most likely finish his homework and would study for any upcoming tests or exams he had. Danny would hopefully talk Vlad into taking short breaks from time to time so that Vlad could go outside and get some fresh air.

Fully clothed, Danny stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway, putting his pile of dirty clothing into the clothes hamper that was halfway full. He deemed one of his chores for tomorrow was to go do the laundry they had. He figured that if he kept up with his cleaning, it would mean Vlad would have one less thing to worry about. Danny made his way into the kitchen, pulling out pancake batter and the blueberries they had bought yesterday. He thought Vlad would enjoy some blueberry pancakes with eggs, so the young halfa started cooking, a tempting aroma filling the air as he poured the pancake batter onto the sizzling skillet.

While making dinner, Danny started humming to himself. He was so lost in his own world as he was cooking and humming to himself, the young half ghost didn't notice Vlad walking into the kitchen, his chest bare and a pair of loose pajama bottoms hanging around his hips. Vlad smiled, taking the opportunity to sneak up and spook the boy. He stepped forward, careful to not make any noise that would make Danny notice him. As he grew closer to the boy, Vlad reached forward and wrapped his arms around Danny's waist, the younger boy jumping slightly.

When he jumped,  Danny dropped the spatula on the ground and turned to stare at Vlad, the older man still holding his waist loosely. "Vlad, you made me drop the spatula," Danny complained, pulling away from Vlad to get a new spatula. "I was trying to be nice and make you breakfast before you woke up, but I guess that my kindness went in vain."

"Come Daniel," Vlad spoke softly, his voice slightly deeper due to the fact he woke up only moments ago. "You know I appreciate anything you make for me, so it isn't going in vain. You can tell a lot by what people make and I can tell that you put a lot of love into your cooking, that's why it tastes so delicious." Vlad decided to give Danny more room to cook, walking over to their coffee brewer to start his morning cup of coffee.

As the machine was making the coffee, Vlad went back over to Danny, helping him to finish both of their breakfasts. "How did you sleep? You seemed pretty exhausted last night and I might be to blame for that. I can't imagine that it was easy for you to be running around so much yesterday, but I'm glad you helped me so much. It means a lot to me that you went through so much trouble to help me."

Danny felt his face get warm as he focused on cooking, trying his best to ignore his feelings towards Vlad. "I slept well, about as well as I always do. That couch is comfier than it seems and I need to thank you for wrapping that blanket around me. It gets quite chilly at night and I usually wake up freezing in the morning. As for what happened yesterday, yeah it was a bit exhausting and I did a lot of running around, but it was fun all the same. I enjoy spending time with you and it's always nice hanging out with Maddie and Jack. I'm glad we were able to solve everything so quickly, it made everything awkward when nobody wanted to talk," Danny answered, setting the first batch of pancakes on a separate plate as he started cooking the next group.

"It was weird at first, but I wasn't sure on how to approach everything. I never tried to rekindle a friendship with any past relationships before. Before Maddie and Jack showed up I always thought of people as replaceable and never really bothered in attaching myself to others," Vlad explained, pouring Danny a cup of coffee along with one for himself. "I probably would have allowed my relationship with them to die out like the friends I've had before them." Vlad poured some milk into Danny's cup, adding two scoops of sugar into the cream brow colored liquid. Vlad placed the cup on the counter by Danny, leaning against the edge as he sipped his black coffee slowly.

Danny felt a lump in his throat as he flipped the two pancakes on the skillet, licking his dry lips. "Do you think I'm replaceable?" Danny asked quietly, not sure if he wanted an answer from Vlad or not. He knew their relationship should mean nothing to him, especially since the only Vlad he knew before was the one he considered to be his enemy. He felt a connection to Vlad though, one he had probably felt when they first met. They were both lonely in a way. In the future they both were the only half ghosts around, well besides for Danielle, but she was created by Vlad to take Danny's place. Now, they were both lonely once more as Vlad never really confined in anyone before and Danny was stuck in a time where he had to be careful with what he did. The younger boy didn't want to admit it, but before he traveled back in time, he was still lonely. Everyday Sam and Tucker's relationship grew, their interest in Danny still there, but they were both focused more on each other than they were with Danny. He felt that sometimes they would forget he's there alongside them, so he would just go home, sitting in his dark room, alone.

Vlad panicked for a minute, clutching the porcelain mug tightly in his hands. "No Daniel, of course not," Vlad answered, gently placing a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder. "You are one of the first people I have ever met who understands me. We have this connection I think, where we were able to grow so close in so little time because of our connection. I could never find a replacement for you, no matter how far or long I searched." Vlad smiled softly as Danny turned to look at him, placing his cup on the table next to Danny's. "Now, how about we both eat the delicious food you cooked for us so we can go for a walk?"

"You don't want to study?" Danny questioned, separating the two servings onto different plates. He was surprised to hear Vlad talk so highly about their relationship, but Danny understood what the older male was saying. He felt the connection they had and whether it was imaginary or not, he was glad they both seemed to be happier and closer because of it. "It's Sunday so I was expecting you to be hauled up in your room all day studying for your exams or maybe working on a project." 

"Daniel, you should know me better than that. I'm always one step ahead of my classes, so if I feel like I want to have a relaxing day out with my friend, then I'll do just that," Vlad answered, grabbing the two plates and bringing them to the table as Danny put the dirty cooking ware in the sink to be cleaned later. "I thought that after the stressful events of last night, you and I could go out for some fresh air and I could introduce you to my favorite spots. It's pretty secluded and people can't find it unless they are actually trying to look for it." 

Danny smiled, cupping his coffee in his hands as he sat down, Vlad pushing his chair in for him. "I would love that."

When they were both seated at the table, the food laying in front of them, they both started eating. The meal had been quit, like most of them tended to be. Neither felt like a conversation needed to be started and both were perfectly content with the silence. Though both of them were alone with their own thoughts, but each of their thoughts were filled with each other.

The younger male couldn't help but think of what things would have been like if they could have been friends in the future. Vlad and Danny both would have benefited from having one another. Danny could have learned how to control his powers better, while Vlad could have had someone there to make him less lonely. Everything could have been better for the both of them. He couldn't help but notice how well he actually got along with Vlad when he was younger, he assumed Vlad would find him annoying and try his best to avoid him. But it seemed to be the exact opposite. They both got along well and Vlad seemed to be trusting Danny more with his emotions and life in general. Danny was concerned with his feelings towards Vlad, everyday Danny's fondness for Vlad grew, but at the same time he knew it couldn't possibly be that he was developing a crush. Though he was willing to admit he was feeling something, but brushed it off. Danny was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed Vlad calling to him, not until the older man grabbed Danny's shoulder softly.

"Daniel?" Vlad asked, watching the boy blink as if he was trying to focus back on reality. "You finished your food and you were basically just scraping the fork against your plate. Is there something on your mind?"

Danny felt his cheeks warm up, embarrassed that he had drifted off and now was making Vlad worry. "I'm fine, I was just thinking about how quickly our relationship developed."

Vlad rubbed his chin in deep thought. He agreed with Danny, it was oddly confusing to him as to why he already felt so close with the boy. "Well I don't think it's something that you need to think about so hard. We obviously compliment each other. You lack in self-confidence and you hate having others judging you, I make up for that. We both know I'm very comfortable in who I am and I don't really bother with other's opinions. While I have some issues with... trust and fixing relationships, you prosper in. You open up your heart to other's while at the same time you are able to emotionally connect with them in a way that makes your relationships, whether they be friend or more, more sturdy and strong." the older man explained, standing up and grabbing both of their dirty plates.

Suddenly, Danny was glad to have Vlad there. There was a certain truth to what Vlad was saying. It helped Danny to push his feelings aside and to just assume that Vlad's accusation was correct. They did compliment each other fairly well. They knew when the other was having a bad day, so they were able to adapt. When Vlad was having a rough day, Danny made sure to stay out of his way, but allowed Vlad to know that he was their if he needed someone to talk to. When Danny was upset or feeling a bit spaced out, Vlad would try his hardest to make the younger boy's workload less. Vlad would cook them dinner or just order food for them, while he allowed Danny to rest. Both knew that there were different factors that affected each other's moods and neither got upset if one wanted some time alone.

"Anyway, let's leave that discussion there for now, we don't need to question why we get along so well, but we should instead celebrate it," Vlad said, grabbing Danny's hand and pulling the boy's slender frame from the cushioned chair. "Let's get ready to go though. I wanna get to the park before it grows too crowded and someone sees us.

Danny was pushed out of the kitchen and just stared as Vlad quickly gather a few snacks for them to eat in case they got hungry. The half-ghost had never seen Vlad move so quickly before nor had he seen him so excited. The smile that adored Vlad's face was contagious as Danny felt himself smile as he slipped on his tennis shows and grabbed one of the many jackets Vlad had provided for him. Danny offered to hold onto the snacks while Vlad got himself ready, putting on his black pea coat and slipping on his own slightly worn tennis shoes. The younger male had asked Vlad why he insisted on wearing old tennis shoes when he always seemed to carry himself with a more formal appearance, but Vlad just explained that it was more comfortable to work in tennis shoes than it would be to work in dress shoes, not to mention he didn't care if his tennis shoes got dirty.

Vlad had opened the door for Danny, shutting it behind them and locking it like he always did before leaving. The older male had finally trusted Danny enough with a key to the dorm room, making it easier for the boy to go grocery shopping and to do laundry, now he didn't have to wait for when it was convenient for Vlad, but he was able to now go whenever he wanted to. It was a big step in their relationship, indicating that Vlad trusted Danny enough to allow him to come and go as he pleased, though Danny could always walk through the door by turning intangible. He had thought about doing it many times, but didn't want to be questioned as to how he properly got in the dorm without Vlad letting him in.

"It's not very fair that I haven't got to use the key you gave me yet," Danny pouted as they both walked down the metal stairs to the campus ground, that was now covered in the crispy leaves that fell from the trees. The air even had that crisp smell to it, tickling Danny's nostrils whenever a small burst of wind danced past him. "What's the point in me having a key if I only leave when you do? I feel like it was a waste of money."

"I'll allow you to unlock the door when we get back if you are so anxious to use that key and I had it made as a way for me to express how much I trust you. That key is more of a symbol of where our relationship stands at the moment," Vlad explained, his breath fogging as he breathed in deeply and exhaled. It had been so long since he just walked around campus without having somewhere to be. He was delighted to be spending what little free time he had with Danny.

Nodding, Danny smiled and pulled the jacket sleeves over his hands, curling his fingers against the soft fabric. He moved closer to Vlad, his excuse being that he didn't want to fall behind, but the truth was he wanted to be closer to the older man.

They walked across the campus, the leaves crunching under their feet, blending in with the sounds of the other students talking. It seemed that less people were staring at them, their curiosity gone. Now everyone was used to Danny being around Vlad, so now they just assumed that Danny was another ghost obsessed nerd like Vlad, Maddie, and Jack. Thought they were no longer starring, both of the men knew other's still talked about them. Rumors going around about how Danny came to this campus and how he had gotten Vlad to allow him to live with him, rent free. It was all nonsense, but of course Vlad didn't care enough to dismiss the rumors and Danny was scared of confronting anyone in case they got violent.

It never occurred to Danny until he had someone push him in this time period. Now the offender wasn't looking for a full on fight, but he was looking to cause Danny trouble. The young half-ghost would usually use his powers on any bully he encountered, but he knew he had to be careful during this time period. If he did anything to cause suspicion, he would most likely draw more attention to himself and it would be hard to explain how he was able to force one of the college's students to run around the campus ground without any clothing on. On occasion though he would become Danny Phantom in the dorm he shared with Vlad. He only did it when he knew Vlad would be out late, not wanting the researcher to find out his true identity. Sometimes he felt this urge to become Phantom, it was something he could help. It always felt like he was suppressing a part of himself whenever he went too long without changing into his other half.

Danny stopped as Vlad did, looking up to see that they were standing on a cement path in the middle of a small park. The park itself only consisted of two sets of swings, a slide, and a pair of monkey bars, but the small play area was surrounded by a large array of trees. The park stood before the trees, shade being provided from the trees leaves. The park wasn't that far from the college, seeing as it only took them about fifteen minutes for the two men to walk to the entrance.

"Well, ready to see one of the most glorious scenes you've ever laid your eyes upon?" Vlad asked as entwined his fingers with Danny's. He pulled Danny forward, walking past the playground equipment and onto a small path that looked like it had been made by hikers who frequented the woods often.

Both of the men walked along the dirt trail, Vlad leading Danny. Since Vlad was in front, he would push branches out of Danny's face so that the boy wouldn't get harmed by the rough material. After they walked for about ten minutes, Vlad turned his head to check if anyone else was around to see them. When he decreed that nobody would be able to see where they were both going, h turned to his left,  a group of Californian Cypress gathered at the edge of the path. Vlad crouched down, pulling Danny down towards the ground with him. He lifted the outside of his arm up, moving the lower branches of the tree to the side so he could walk along the tree trunks.

"Be careful, I don't want you scratching up your face," Vlad stated as he instructed Danny to hold his hand up as well so that the branches don't smack his exposed skin. "We don't have to do this for too long.

True to his word, Danny walked for about a minute in that position, before Vlad stood and pulled him up as well. Danny's mouth become dry, there were no words that could describe the beauty of what laid out before him. Like Monet's Artist Family in the Garden, there was a grassy clearing before them with a variety of flowers scattered throughout the landscape. The majority of the area was shaded due to the thickness of the taller trees surrounding the area, but speckles of light seemed to peak through the leaves, leaving a magical feeling as if the light itself was dust left by fairies. There seemed to be a symphony of animals creating music for Vlad and Danny's ears alone. Birds were chirping merrily, squirrels and other small mammals racing up trees or against the floor and the soft sound of the leaves swaying as the wind kissed the surface. Everywhere Danny looked, there seemed to be something new he hadn't noticed before. Different insects would fly in and out of his view, a sort of playful and teasing feeling being portrayed. 

Though Danny was staring ahead at the scenery, his mouth gapping open, Vlad was staring at the younger boy, a small smile placed on his face. He was happy he could see such a pure and innocent look of awe on the boy's face, he was even happier to know that he was responsible for the emotions displayed on the young boy's face. Vlad let Danny's hand go, allowing the boy to gaze upon his secret hideout as he walked further into it, sitting on a patch of soft grass. He beckoned Danny over, placing their bag of food off to the side. Never in his life had he been more excited to share a bit of himself than right now in this moment. He knew that it was a good idea to trust this boy, he felt it in his heart and though he didn't follow it often, he was glad he did this once.  

As if a phantom caress'd me, I thought I was not alone walking here by the shore; But the one I thought was with me as now I walk by the shore, the one I loved that caress'd me, As I lean and look through the glimmering light, that one has utterly disappear'd. And those appear that are hateful to me and mock me.

 

Read more [about](http://www.poemofquotes.com/about.php)[As If a Phantom Caress'd Me by Walt Whitman Poem & Analysis](http://www.poemofquotes.com/waltwhitman/as-if-a-phantom-caressd-me.php) by [www.poemofquotes.com](http://www.poemofquotes.com/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always, critiques, reviews, theories, and whatever you all wish to tell me is always welcomed. I have up to 12 chapters written and I can post them all now, but I was periodically posting them because I get a chapter done, maybe once a month? (Outside life doesn't give me much time to write.) Would you all prefer I continue to post them periodically or just post up to chapter 12 and have you guys wait a month for chapter 13? It's up to you all as you are the readers, so let me know. Also, I might try writing another fanfiction on the side, because for some odd reason I'm shipping Handsome Jack from Borderlands with Damien Bloodmarch from Dream Daddy, don't ask, it's just cute to me. Anyway, I'm rambling now. Have a good day, hope you all enjoy the chapter!


	5. An Imaginary Dream

"So, what do you think about this place?" Vlad asked Danny as the boy came over to the sit down beside him, Vlad always sat in the spot. It was the only spot that allowed sunlight to leak through and the grass just seemed to be a bit thicker than in other areas.

The light illuminated Danny's face, he's cheeks a rosy color from the cooler air. "It's... honestly I can't describe it. If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be magical. It's like a scene from a fairytale, where the main character is trying to woo their love interest. It just doesn't seem like something that should really exist, it's too stunning." Danny sat crossed legged, the palm of his hands resting in the grass.

Vlad smiled, knowing exactly what the boy was saying. He himself didn't think that his hiding spot was real at first, when he went home the day he discovered it, he thought that he had just dreamed up the whole thing. He went back the next day, completely prepared to find that he had imagined it all. He was happy to discover that the spot was a reality. "I can promise you that it's real, but I don't even think an author can capture the true beauty of this place, at least not in writing."

Danny laid down in the patch of grass, soaking in the sunlight. It had been awhile since he was able to enjoy some fresh air and it was even better to have Vlad by his side. Danny had been worrying about Vlad's health over the pass few days. With his first set of final exams coming, Vlad had been studying non-stop while working on the mini-ghost portal prototype. Though it was endearing to hear the older man talking about his discoveries while they were having dinner, Danny was worried that Vlad was trying to juggle too much. It was good for the both of them to take a break and to spend the time together. "How did you actually find this place?" Danny was laying on his stomach, propping his elbows up to hold his chin.

"I was out here just walking, it was after one of my experiments failed. I was working on it for months, planning on presenting it to my professor, but when I tried to get the power flowing through it, the whole thing completely exploded and all the materials I had gathered were ruined. It would be an understatement to say that I was a little upset. I ended up throwing the experiment in the trash along with all of my notes," Vlad explained, looking down at the boy as he told his story. He couldn't helped but feel relaxed as he watched the boy get comfortable, the cool air being a comfortable temperature for the both of them. "I ended up coming to the park because I thought I needed to get some fresh air, mind you I had locked myself in my room working on that damned machined. As I was walking, I saw that the trees weren't as think around the entrance to this area. My curiosity got the best of me and I ended up pushing pass the branches, mind you my body was covered in scratches afterwards, but once I made it through I found this wonderful area." Vlad smiled, remembering the first time he found this place. Once he stood in the center of the clearing, he felt all negative emotions leave his body and instead a feeling of warmth spread through him. "Being here instantly cheered me up and I just decided to come here whenever I needed to relax."

Hearing Vlad talk about the hidden spot filled Danny with a sense of pride. From his understanding, Vlad had yet to show this spot to anyone else, not even Maddie, the girl Vlad was madly in love with. Danny had no idea why he was so special, but he was happy to share this experience with the older man. "Why did you want to come here with me though? We could have went anywhere else, but instead you wanted to take me to something so private and personal. I'm just a little surprised that you would wish to share this instead of keeping it to yourself."

Vlad looked to Danny, the younger boy's questions making him think. Why had he been so set on bringing Danny here? "I guess it's because I wanted to see you happy. When you first laid sight at all the flowers and just the overall image of this spot, your eyes lit up and you had this look of amazement across your face. It was a bit endearing to see you like that, some might even say adorable," Vlad teased, lightly running his fingers through the other boy's charcoal hair.

Danny's cheeks flushed red and he knew it wasn't due to the cold breeze brushing past him, it was instead thanks to the man sitting before him. "I'm not adorable," he complained, moving to sit cross-legged in the grass. "You shouldn't call other guys cute, Vlad. I'm a man like you, so you should be calling me manly or handsome, not cute." Danny wasn't really insulted by Vlad's compliment, but he knew that in this day and age it was uncommon for men to call other men adorable.

"I didn't mean it as an insult, Daniel," Vlad explained, his smile disappearing. "I only meant that you looked breathtaking, I couldn't turn my eyes away from you. I was just really thrilled to see someone enjoy something as much as I do. I'm sorry, please don't take any offense to what I said."

"No, it's my fault," Danny stuttered, looking down at the ground. Silence filled the air as Vlad leaned back, allowing Danny the chance to further explain himself. The young half-ghost was at a loss of what he wanted to say. "I didn't take it as an insult, but don't you think that it's wrong to use such... feminine terms to describe a man?"

"Are you assuming that I'm trying to take away from your masculinity?" Vlad asked, his eyebrow quirking up.

Danny shook his head quickly, realizing that he was digging himself into a deeper hole. "That's not what I meant. Just, don't you think others may judge you for using those terms to describe a man? They might get the wrong idea about you. I don't really mind that you called me adorable, it's not an insult, but instead it's nice to hear someone complimenting me. I've only had one real girlfriend and she never really complimented me. I guess since we were friends for so long, we didn't feel the need to point out or sexual attraction to each other."

Vlad laughed lightly, covering his mouth with the palm of his hand. "You should know better than anyone that the opinion of other's don't bother me. I know who I am and if other's wish to label me to put me in a box, then that's fine with me. I'm sorry to hear about your relationship though, are you still with the young woman?"

"No, sadly we separated within our first year of dating. We were still really good friends afterwards, but during the summer before we both went off for college, she admitted to me that she had been dating my other friend for awhile. I guess it was a bit awkward to hear my two friends had hooked up, but at the same time I was happy for them," Danny explained, thinking about his two friends now.

The young boy had been heart broken when Sam broke up with him, but he knew that their relationship was growing staler the longer they stayed together. Danny never really had time to spend with Same since he had to protect the town from ghosts and he would sometimes need to cut their dates short if there was ever a ghost sighting. Once they broke up, Danny avoided Sam for weeks, ignoring the girl's advances to rekindle their relationship. Just like anyone who gets out of a relationship, Danny wanted some time to himself so that he could think about how he wanted to approach their relationship. After a week though, Sam had cornered him and they both talked out their feelings, both reaching a mutual agreement that they would try to stitch up their friendship. When Sam and Tucker told Danny about their relationship, he wasn't really upset that they were dating, but that they didn't trust him enough to tell him sooner. He still wished them the best though and informed them both he was their for either of them if they needed to talk. Danny told Vlad about what happened between him and his friends and he soon realized that they weren't so different. Danny's parents had hid their relationship from Vlad, while Sam and Tucker hid their relationship from Danny. The only difference was how each boy reacted. Vlad was the type of person who let his own emotions control his actions and Danny hid his emotions behind a mask, smiling though he was upset.

"She didn't obviously deserve you than," Vlad stated, moving towards the boy to wrap his arm around the smaller boy's slender frame. "I guess we both fell for the wrong people. The only thing we can do now is move on, look for different people who we can relate with better and will appreciate us for who we are."

"You weren't so positive a few days ago," Danny teased the older man, escaping from the older man's grasps. He lightly pushed Vlad's hand from his shoulder moved away. "You were ohhh so in love with Maddie, practically drooling over her whenever she entered the same room as you."

Vlad stood from his spot, smiling down at Danny as he softly tackled the boy. As the young boy's back hit the floor, Vlad hovered about him, his heads on either side of Danny's head and his knees resting against the soft ground. He had Danny trapped, but that didn't scare the boy or intimidate him. Instead Danny took a hand full of leaves and playfully threw them up, showering them both in the brown and red leaves. Vlad was laughing as he looked down at Danny, his eyes looking down at the boy who's face was mimicking his smile. "You know, you shouldn't make fun of your elders, Daniel." Vlad whispered, his voice deep as he leaned forwards to whisper in the other boy's ear. "It's very rude and you should remember that you are the one living in my house, mooching off of me."

Danny's body grew stiff as Vlad's lips were dangerously close to his neck. His eyes grew wide as he looked to Vlad, wiggling his hips to try and escape. "I'm not mooching, I work hard to make up for the money I owe you. May I remind you that I am the reason you get fed regularly and why your apartment isn't a mess."

"Come Daniel, I survived without you before. Just admit that you are thankful I am such a kind human being allowing you to stay with me while asking for nothing in return," Vlad said to the boy, looking up at the boy's face.

Dark eyes gazed into sea blue eyes, Vlad felt captivated by them, trapped within their depts without any hope of escaping. If some author were to try and explain what was happening, Vlad was drowning in the young boy's eyes. He couldn't break the eye contact they shared and unknowing to Vlad, he was slowly leaning towards the boy. The space between their two bodies decreased, feet turning into inches, inches into centimeters. Vlads chest was pressed against Danny's his arms still on either side of the younger boy's shoulders. 

Danny was frozen to his spot. He couldn't move and he couldn't force Vlad off, he didn't want to. His heart was beating loudly, like a snare drum repeatedly getting hit by the percussionist. Though he was trapped under Vlad's body, Danny wasn't scared. With trembling fingers, Danny reached up and grabbed Vlad's coat, holding the older man in place. As the space between them was reduced, Danny was worried Vlad would feel the fast beating of his heart. 

Vlad removed his right hand from the ground, leaning to his left as he swept Danny's fringe from his forehead. "Absolutely stunning," he complimented, leaning down to place a kiss on Danny's forehead. 

"V... Vlad?" Danny spoke softly. He watched as Vlad seemed to finally realize what was going on. The younger male felt the cold wind brush against him as Vlad pulled away. 

"I'm sorry, Daniel," Vlad apologized, turning away from the boy, a soft chuckle escaping past his lips. "I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I can just blame it on the moment and on the fact that I feel a deep connection to you that two friends share." 

As Vlad spoke, Danny felt a small tug in his chest. He had the urge to throw up and cry, but instead he just smiled and laughed. "It's fine Vlad, I understand. You're just still hurt about what happened with Maddie and was looking for a bit of comfort. It's not the first time someone has kissed my forehead and I'm sure it won't be the last." 

Vlad smiled back, but Danny wanted to think they the older man seemed a bit disappointed. Silence filled the air and it wasn't the comfortable kind that they were both used to while eating dinner. The air seemed thick and the tension was even thicker. Neither of them knew what to say to repair the moment. Vlad offered they eat what he had packed in the basket and then they could head back. The temperature was dropping as the day passed and Vlad made the excuse that he couldn't afford to be sick. Reluctantly, Danny agreed.

Soon the basket was empty and the air surrounding them was still stale. Danny had tried to start a conversation with Vlad, but the student seemed far away, thinking about what, Danny didn't know. They had spent most of their afternoon outside in their spot and the sun was slowly beginning to set. They both gathered up what they had brought, cleaning up any mess they had made. Vlad had left the crumbs on the forest floor, offering it for any animal that was hungry. 

"When we get home, I'm going straight to studying for my exams, so don't worry about making my share of dinner. I'm not too sure how long I'll be, so I will just grab something when I finish up with any homework and studying I do," Vlad explained to Danny as they crawled under the tree branches again, avoiding covering their body in scratches.

Danny was sad to hear Vlad say that, knowing that the only reason Vlad was going to "study" was to avoid him after what had happened. "That's fine, Johnathan had asked me to come help him to organize his apartment, so I can just go over to his place today and cook dinner there." Danny offered. He thought it would be best to leave Vlad's place for a bit, maybe it would allow Vlad to have time to think about everything. Danny also believed it would be best for him to leave so that he could also think about everything for himself.

Walking back across campus had been even worse, neither Vlad nor Danny wanted to break the silence. The other students were still starring at them and without having Vlad beside him to offer comforting words, Danny was left feeling uncomfortable as the other's stared. Usually Vlad would be right by Danny, telling him that the opinions of the other students didn't matter, but now Danny felt suffocated by what the other people could be whispering about him and Vlad. Vlad for the first time in years was feeling annoyed just imaging what the other students could be spreading around about him. Most of the rumors weren't worth his time, but he didn't have Danny's help to keep calm.

"Vlad," Danny spoke up quietly, getting the older man to turn around to look at him. "I'm gonna go a different way from here. Johnathan's apartment is on the south side of the campus, so it's best for me to just head there straight away." Danny saw Vlad's mouth open, he could tell that he was ready to say something, but Vlad just closed his mouth and nodded. Danny offered Vlad a smile, trying to convey the fact that nothing between them needed to be awkward. "Just remember not to overly stress yourself out."

They both waved as they went their separate ways, Danny heading to the south and Vlad heading to the west.

Danny shoved his hands in his pocket, looking down at the ground as he walked to Johnathan's dorm. He didn't know what to think about what happened in the woods. He was having so much fun with Vlad and the other man seemed to be enjoying his time as well. Why had Vlad kissed Danny on the forehead. How did they even end up in that position. Why didn't Danny push Vlad away, he could have easily pushed the older man to his side. The most important though, why was Danny wishing Vlad hadn't had stopped.

It was wrong, the young half ghost's emotions and thoughts were all over the place. He knew that it was wrong for him to have such strong emotions for the older male, especially since one day they would become enemies. He wrapped his arms around his body tighter, his eyes glazing over as he felt the urge to cry.

"Danny?" a voice called out quietly.

 

The boy turned, looking to see Johnathan standing before him, a bag of groceries in both of his hands. "Oh, hey," Danny called, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hands. He smiled brightly at his friend, happy to see that the other boy didn't seem too busy studying for his exams. "I... uhh.. was actually heading over to your place. I was hoping that you would let me stay there for a bit, I can help you clean and I can make dinner if you want to study."

Johnathan smiled back, but he wasn't dumb enough to think that Danny's smile was genuine. Johnathan knew that Danny smiled with his whole heart, his face would light up along with everyone else's face. Danny's smile was so contagious that Vlad even smiled whenever he looked at the younger boy's face. "I don't mind if you come over. I've gotten a lot of studying done and I don't have an exam until next week. I don't need you to clean my house, but we can both make dinner while we talk about what's on our mind." 

"How did you know something is wrong?" Danny asked, walking beside Johnathan, both of them heading to his dorm. 

Leaves crunched under their weight and Johnathan couldn't help, but look around them to see that a lot of the trees were already almost naked. "We've known each other for more than a month. I can tell when one of my friends are feeling down in the dumps."

Danny stayed quiet, but nodded his head. He smiled softly and offered to carry a bag for Johnathan. The nutritionist student allowed it, giving Danny the lighter bag.

As they made it to Johnathan's apartment, Johnathan unlocked the door and opened it. Danny walked in first, setting the bag of groceries down on a counter in the kitchen. They both worked together to put the food away, neither of them speaking. Johnathan wanted to wait for them to finish with the groceries so that they could focus on the problem at hand and wouldn't need to worry about two things at once. When they were finished, Johnathan shooed Danny from the kitchen and prepared them both some tea and cookies so that they could talk comfortably. 

"So what happened?" Johnathan asked, setting the tray of snacks on the coffee table and joining Danny on the couch. "You usually don't let things bring you down or more specifically if something upsets you, you don't show it. When I saw you though you looked like a kicked puppy."

Danny didn't honestly know what he could tell Johnathan. He trusted the boy well enough to know that Johnathan didn't partake in any gossip about his parents or Vlad, but he still wasn't sure how Johnathan would react once Danny told him about what happened in the woods. "I... I will understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore. I just, I trust you enough to tell you about what happened. Vlad wanted to get some fresh air and he wanted to spend some time together, so we both went out to the playground. We found a clearing where we could sit down without anyone intruding on our time together. Well some things led to another and I don't know how it happened, but Vlad had ended up on top of me. He tackled me to the ground and had me pinned down. For some reason though, I didn't want to push him off. He didn't do anything dirty, he only kissed my forehead. When he pulled away though neither of us knew what to say or how to react so we didn't speak to each other. Then when we were walking home, he told me he would be in his room all night, which of course was his way of avoiding me. I guess I can't blame him though, I wouldn't want to be near me either." 

Johnathan watched as Danny picked up his mug of tea, cupping the fragile porcelain in his hands. "I can't say I can relate to how you are feeling. I myself am straight, I've never looked at another man in a romantic or lustful way before, but I do know what it's like to have a crush on someone and it's obvious that's what you towards Vlad."

"But I can't like him!" Danny shouted, clutching the mug so hard that his knuckles turned white. 

Resting his hand on the younger boy's, Johnathan took the mug away from him so that he wouldn't hurt himself. "Why can't you?"

Danny stared at Johnathan, wanting to tell him everything, but he couldn't. "Because Vlad's not interested in guys, I'm not interested in guy's. It's wrong for me to even imagine the two of us together. He's also on a whole different level. He's all about science and hunting ghost, while I'm just a boy who just now decided on starting college."

"So?" Johnathan questioned. "Nobody can tell you who to love. You are in charge of your own destiny whether you are aware of it or not. You obviously have some feelings for Vlad. You might have a crush on him or you might just be interested in him. Only time will tell how you really feel for him. And while I don't see the appeal in Vlad myself, I'm well aware that he likes you as well. Maybe he's unsure of everything right now and needs some time to think to himself. Why don't you stay here for a bit to give him time to think? My roommate is pretty chill, so I doubt he would care if you crashed on the couch."

"Really? That would be nice, but I do need to grab some things from Vlad's. I don't have much and what I do have, Vlad's bought for me, but it would be nice to have a change of clothing," Danny explained, picking his cup up once more and taking a sip of the cool liquid. He wished he had someone to talk to about everything, because then they would be able to know the whole story as to why Vlad and Danny couldn't be together. Vlad was a villain and obsessed with Danny's mother. Danny was nothing but a kid compared to Vlad, so whatever feelings he had, he needed to ignore. "I'm gonna go get some stuff from Vlad's. I'll be back later though and I can cook dinner for all of us."

Johnathan smiled up at Danny as the young man got up from the couch and headed towards the door. He was well aware of the fact that Danny was still upset over the whole matter, but decided that the boy needed some time to think about everything. "Be safe and don't take too long, night is approaching and the temperature is going to drop. Don't think you're off the hook though. We still need to talk things through, you just look like you need some time to think."

Danny returned the smile. giving a soft nod as he walked to the door, stepping out of the dorm room. He breathed in deeply, looking at everything in front of him. He knew what needed to be done. He needed to find a way to talk to Clockwork to sort out this whole mess. The only problem was that he had no idea how to go about finding the ghost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here's another chapter out! I hope you all enjoy it! I'm open to suggestions, theories, complaints, whatever you have to throw at me! I don't think it will ever happen, please don't assume I am asking you all to do this, but if anyone ever makes fanart for this series, please share it with me! I would love to see what people have created if they have. College is really hard this year and my anxiety has been a wreck, so I haven't got to write much, but I am still updating this chapter. Anyway, I hope you all have a fantastic time, until next month :)


	6. It May Be Wrong, But Why Does It Feel So Right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Vlad discuss what happened at the park. They come to an unusual conclusion, something neither of them where expecting.

Danny took a steady breath in, using the key Vlad had given him previously to unlock the dorm's front door. He stepped inside, seeing Vlad's discarded coat laying on the floor. The young boy sighed, picking up the coat and putting it on a hanger so that he could put it in the closet. Walking over to the couch, Danny was quick to pack what little clothing Vlad had provided for him in an old plastic bag. As Danny finished up packing, he turned around to see Vlad standing beside him, the older man's arms crossed over his chest.

"Where are you going?" Vlad questioned from behind Danny, his hands clenched as he continued watching the boy packing. He wasn't mad at the boy, but he felt as if they were both running away from the problem presented before them. "Daniel, I think we should talk about what happened at the park..." Vlad stated as he walked over to the shorter boy and rested his hand against the boys shoulder.

Danny felt his stomach flutter as he felt Vlad's hand make contact with his skin. He turned to the man, his eyes facing the floor as he softly spoke, his voice uneven and trembling. "I figured you would want time to think about what happened. Johnathan said that I could stay with him for a bit so you could be alone." Danny felt so small to Vlad. He was hoping to run away from his problems, something he had always done growing up. He avoided telling his parents about his other half and he always ran away from any fights he had with his friends. Even when Sam wanted to break up, he avoided her, hoping the problem would solve itself.

"Daniel, we are adults we can talk this out together and come to a conclusion together. If we continue to ignore the problem I'm afraid it might hinder our relationship and cause us to dislike each other's company," Vlad explained as he pressed down on Danny's shoulder softly, wanting the boy to sit down on the couch so they could actually talk to one another. 

When the younger boy complied with his suggestion, Vlad sat down in his recliner. He didn't want to scare Danny off, so he figured that sitting next to the boy would cause Danny to become nervous. Even if Danny didn't know it, Vlad was constantly putting the needs of the younger boy's above his own. Vlad folded his hands in his lap, waiting for the boy to speak first, but after a few moments of silence, he decided he would need to make the first move. He breathed in softly and smiled at Danny, something he very rarely did. "Look, what happened in the park, I want to apologize, but I don't regret what I did."

Danny's stomach clenched as he looked to Vlad, hearing the other man say he didn't regret it made him hopeful. After his talk with Johnathan, he accepted that he liked Vlad, how deep his feelings were he didn't know. "I... I don't either," Danny said softly, peeking up at the man beside him. He was worried about how Vlad would react to his feelings, but it was silly to hide how he was feeling and maybe it was possible Vlad felt the same towards him. Vlad was right though, they were both adults and they needed to talk out their emotions.

Vlad's face instantly lit up as he listened to Danny's reply. "I'm glad you aren't either. It will make this conversation go by smoother." Vlad swallowed, feeling his throat clenching. The only person he ever truly had feelings for was Maddie but he hadn't even acted upon them and in the end he lost her. While he did like Maddie for her kindness and intelligence, there was just something about Danny that made his heart race and his head a mess. While he might not have been the most intelligent person when it came to scientific theories or subjects, Danny was smart in other aspects of life. Vlad had caught Danny reading manuals about rockets and books about outer space and he just loved that part of the boy. Though he didn't understand everything, Danny still would still try to learn. "Daniel, I know that we have only known each other for maybe three months, but the connection we have just seems to be there. I haven't trusted anyone as much as I've trusted you and I can't even begin to explain why I do. I feel like I can trust you with more of my life than I can with Maddie and Jack."

The younger boy looked up, his eyes glancing into Vlad's. He knew that it was wrong to love Vlad, especially since they would one day need to fight, but at the same time he wanted nothing more than to hold the older man tightly. 'Besides,' he thought, thinking back to his previous conversation with Clock Work. 'He told me to just do whatever feels right and Vlad feels right.' Danny reached down at Vlad's hand, holding it in his own. "I know what you mean, while I'm not sure how strong my feelings are for you, I haven't felt this connection with anyone in a long time. When you leave for classes, I'm left here alone and all I can think about is you coming back to me. Usually I don't rely on others, but with you it's another story." 

Using his free hand, Vlad lightly placed it against Danny's cheek, his fingers gently rubbing the boy's skin. It was strange, taboo for two men to be together, but at the same time he didn't care. It didn't feel wrong at all and he couldn't help but want the boy closer. Vlad leaned forward in his chair, his face centimeters away from Danny's. He wanted to give the boy a chance to turn away from his feelings, there was a part of him that wished he would run away. He was surprised though to feel Danny's lips pressing against his own. Vlad moved his hand to the back of Danny's head, pulling the boy closer.

Danny was happy to know that Vlad was giving him a choice. He knew that he could turn away, ignoring his feelings for Vlad in hopes that they would one day return to that of nothing. Maybe he was mad and while it didn't make sense why he wanted the man so badly, nothing in his life seemed to make sense. His body moved automatically and he soon felt Vlad's rough lips against his lips. Danny's hand was still tightly holding onto Vlad's, afraid of falling from the toxic kiss. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. He was burning up, but still left feeling cold. It felt like his body was floating, but the hand holding his own told him that he was still grounded, it was thrilling.

Vlad pulled away first, but quickly reattached his lips to Danny's, the kiss rougher than the first. He didn't want to be dreaming, for the mind was a cruel man and always seemed to be playing tricks on him. He felt Danny's hand leave his own and before he could panic at the loss of the boys hand, he felt the boy's arms wrap around his shoulder. Human were weak to addiction and they all picked their own poisons and Vlad was sure he had found his. Kissing Danny was different from the other kisses he had shared with others in the pass. The ones void of emotion were nothing compared to one shared with someone you cared for. Before he allowed himself to get sucked up in the action, Vlad pulled away, his lips slowly leaving Danny's.

The younger boy's arms were still wrapped around Vlad's neck, but his eyes were facing the floor, his face red from the kiss. His heart was beating fast, but he wasn't scared about Vlad finding out, he wanted to hear the beating because he knew that he was alive in this moment, his arms wrapped around Vlad.

"Daniel," Vlad called out quietly, his lips playing against the other boy's forehead. He left feather light kisses against the smooth skin, moving his hand to press against Danny's back. "Be mine," he asked. He pulled away from the boy, wanting to look at Danny.

Danny looked up at Vlad, his eyes resembling glass as he stared up at the older boy. He was never pursued in his life, only ever being the pursuer. He nodded, "Okay," he answered. He stood up and wrapped his arms tighter around Vlad, happy that they were able to fix the problem and come to a solution together. He knew that he would have to go back to Johnathan's dorm room to clear everything up, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to leave Vlad so soon. Feeling the warmth shared between their bodies, Danny felt no reason to leave and all the fears he possibly had before their talk, vanished.

Vlad pulled away from Danny, softly pressing his hands against the slimmer boy's hips to create a small distant between their bodies. "I don't want us to become too serious right now," Vlad started to explain, watching as the boy's face instantly fell. "That's not what I mean Daniel. I don't want you thinking I'm only with you because I'm still feeling upset about Maddie and Jack dating. I want to prove myself to you before I ask you to truly be mine and the first thing I'm gonna do is cook you a nice dinner so that I can make up for our missed meal in the park."

True to his word, Vlad left the room, smiling softly at Danny as he headed into the kitchen. Danny was left in the living room, his semi-packed bag resting on the floor. He quickly picked it up, removing the items and putting them back into there proper place. Once the job was completed and he had taken over Vlad's living room again, Danny decided to go see what Vlad was up to. When he entered the kitchen, Danny was not prepared to see Vlad in a bright pink apron, chopping a variety of vegetables against the cutting board. The shorter boy leaned against one of the counters, watching Vlad work.

His heart fluttered watching the older man and he knew that this wasn't a little school boy crush. Maybe there was something in the future Vlad that appealed to Danny as well and that's why it was so easy to be caught up in the younger versions charms. There were so many similarities to the two versions, yet they were so very different. While they both shared the love of learning, Vlad in the future was more concerned in gaining power, yet past Vlad just seemed to want to better himself.

"So" Danny wondered out loud, pressing up against Vlad. He was now pressed against Vlad's back, watching the other man's hands move with the knife from over his shoulder. "I know that we aren't official or anything, but I feel like I know so little about your past and how you came to be who you are."

Vlad let out a soft chuckle, stopping his movement to turn to the boy, his signature smirk replacing the smile he had only moments ago. " I could say the same about you, my little badger."

Danny sighed, knowing that Vlad would ask more about him in return. "I guess I should tell you a bit more. It would be awfully awkward for us to be together while knowing next to nothing about each other. So Vlad, what would you like to know?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the wait, college is honestly kicking my ass and I don't know what I want to do anymore and honestly, this little puppy is stressed. Financial Accounting sucks and science courses just suck. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Yes, I know that they don't fight, but while I like reading angst, I don't necessarily like writing it. Trust me though, there will be future chapters with more angst and a lot of it. I want to make you guys cry and I want you guys to hate me, but at the same time, this story will have a happy ending! I can promise!


	7. Past Experiences

Vlad pulled Danny close, wrapping his fingers into the loop of the boy's jeans. "I want to know why it is that you haven't tried to contact your parents while you have been here. I know you told me before that they don't really pay attention to you, but you've been gone for months Daniel, I think that any sane parent would worry about the safety of their child."

Danny sighed, looking up at Vlad with a smile on his face nonetheless. "It seems that out of all the questions you can pick, you picked the most challenging for me to answer." Danny started thinking about how much he could actually tell Vlad before the older man became too suspicious. Hopefully, Clockwork would make another appearance soon and Danny could actually ask a few questions on how to deal with the situation he is in right now. "I guess there's really no explanation as to why I haven't contacted my parents other than there is no way I can communicate with them right now." Danny explained.

The younger boy assumed that Clockwork had contacted one of his close friends or even his sister. His parents knew about his ghost powers and about how he would do work for a lot of the ghosts within the Ghostzone, Clockwork being only one example. His parents still hunt ghost for a living, but have learned to recognize that there is such a thing as a good ghost. Though his parents didn't try to hunt every ghost they saw, Danny was still cautious in introducing any of the ghosts allies to his parents, fearful one of their many experiments would go wrong, causing damage to the few friends he had in ghost realm. If Clockwork had told either Sam, Tucker, or even Jazz, any of them could relay the message to them that he had been sent back in time. Then again, Danny was not aware of how time moved while he was trapped in the past.

"I can assure you though, Vlad," Danny started, pulling away from the older man to sit on the counter so that he Vlad would continue making their dinner. "That my parents know I am safe and they believe that I will come back home safely."

Taking the hint, Vlad returned to the meal, placing the freshly cut vegetables into a skillet, allowing the food to heat up. He hummed as he cooked, thinking about what Danny had said. Vlad wanted to ask why Danny was unable to contact his parents, but at the same time he didn't know how much was too much. Deciding to leave that question there, Vlad moved onto his next question. "I know you told us that your parents sent you here on their own accord to learn about the different technology we are experimenting on, but why did they send you and how did you even get here? You seem to have just showed up out of nowhere, which is a bit odd, but nonetheless I'm thankful to have you in my life now."

"I didn't know you were interrogating me Vlad, I thought maybe I would get a turn to ask a question after I answered yours," Danny teased, lightly brushing his foot against the outside of Vlad's thigh.

"Very well, I guess it's only fair that I allow you to ask a question," Vlad agreed, allowing the boy the chance to ask whatever he wanted.

Danny thought for a moment, kicking his feet lightly as they dangled off the counter. He couldn't honestly think of much to ask Vlad, he already knew so much about him from his future self, but at the same time they seemed to be completely different people, so questions were constantly filling his head. "Why are you so interested in ghosts?"

Vlad sighed, pulling Danny closer as the vegetables continued cooking. "I was guessing that you would ask me sooner or later." Vlad walked over to the table, pulling a chair out for Danny to sit in as he told his story. "When I was younger, I didn't see my parents often as they were working constantly. I spent a lot of time with my grandfather from my mom's side, so I saw him more as a father than my grandpa. He became very ill while I was in middle school, his body was slowly dying and as the days passed, he would grow weaker. Whenever I went to visit him, my grandfather would be bed ridden and I would be the there at his bedside making sure he was as comfortable as possible. When I entered eighth grade, my parents had informed me that my grandfather didn't have much longer to live. He no longer was at his house, but instead was living in the hospital, under constant watch. I would go to visit him after school whenever I could, but every visit just made me more and more uneasy. I hated watching this strong man I love, slowly withering away to nothing. When I was on holiday vacation, he ended up passing peacefully in his sleep. When he was gone, I was just so devastated and lost, I didn't want to believe that my grandfather was no more, so i started looking into other possibilities as to what happens after someone passes on and that's what lead me to my interest in ghosts." Vlad explained, smiling sadly as he was reminded of the memories he had of his grandpa. Not many people knew about Vlad's grandfather and the relationship they shared together, he only told his two closest friends and even they didn't know the full story. "I guess, I became interested because I was scared to be alone, but I'm glad I continued studying it. Now I do it more for my own curiosity."

Smiling, Danny covered Vlad's hand with his own, squeezing the older man's limb lightly in hopes of comforting him. "I'm sorry that you lost someone so important to you, but I'm glad new doors were opened for you as well. You seem happy whenever you are working on your ghost gear, no matter how stressed out yoyou get. Its a bit endearing to see you scrunch your eyebrows together when you are focusing."

Vlad returned the younger boy's smile, not able to help himself as he leaned forward to kiss Danny's forehead, returning to the steaming meal after doing so. "Yes, well I'm sure my grandfather is happy wherever he is, he would always take any situation and look at it in a positive light." As Vlad deemed the food ready, he asked Danny to grab out the plates so that they could begin eating. Of course the younger man obliged and handed the porcelain dishes to the chef, allowing him to proportion the meal put evenly. "Now, I wanna know a bit more about you Danny. I don't mean to come off sounding rude, but you don't seem like the type to date other men. I'm just curious as to if I'm your first boyfriend."

Once the plates were filled with the vegetable stir fry Vlad had prepared, Danny hoped off the counter and went to sit at the table, his partner joining right beside him. "Well if I'm being completely honest, I haven't ever thought of being with another man. When I first met you I was intrigued by you, it also doesn't hurt that you are a fairly good looking man, but your personality pulled me in as well. I didn't expect to fall for you, at least not at first, I just wanted to know more about you." Danny grabbed a fork and took a bit of the food, lightly groaning at the wonderful taste. "I actually haven't dated many people, only two, both of which were females and close friends of mine. I was always just really busy and it just seemed that anyone I dated would feel neglected and would fade away. I don't like confronting others, so I just let them fade away, heart broken they didn't want to talk about it, but I also wasn't going to initiate the conversation."

"Well we both know that I'm not the type to run away from my problems, it's the only good thing my stubbornness is good for," Vlad chimed in, a sense of pride filling him as he watched Danny eat the food he had prepared. He felt bad for making Danny miss out on eating the food they prepared for their picnic, eating three solid meals a day was something he strongly believed in. He knew he would have to make sure Danny ate regularly. "Just know I won't just fade away. If we encounter a problem in our relationship then I hope we both can be grown ups about the situation and actually talk it out. I want to make things work with you, Danny."

"Thank you Vlad and I will do the same. To finish my answer to your question though, yes you are my first boyfriend," Danny answered, his eyes looking up to meet Vlad's gaze.

Danny and Vlad finished the meal, chatting throughout the entire gathering about the most mundane stuff. The conversation flowed easily between the two of them, each taking turns to talk as the other was eating. Danny carried most of the conversation, Vlad happy to hear the boy open up about his family, but couldn't help but think that the boy was thinking too carefully about what he wanted to say. Vlad was aware everyone had their secrets, he having some that he his from others, but had hoped in time he could share them with somebody close to him. Danny had reminded Vlad of someone walking on a frozen pond, one wrong move and the whole thing could crack and cause them to be engulfed in below freezing water. 

After the meal, Danny and Vlad had returned to the living room, both of them sitting on the couch that was currently also Danny's make-shift bed. "I feel like I should go back to Johnathan's place," Danny mumbled quietly as he leaned against Vlad's shoulder, playing with a small thread that was sticking out of his shirt. "I told him I would be coming back with some supplies so that I could stay with him for the time being, but seeing as that's not happening, I should probably go explain why I'm not staying." 

"Do you really have to go?" Vlad asked, wrapping his arm around the boy's smaller frame. Though Danny seemed relatively fit, Vlad still had a larger build and moving around all of the different science equipment he used did help to build his strength.

"Vlad, he's my friend, it's only right that I tell him we made up. He could be worrying that I got hurt on the way back to your dorm." 

Vlad was silent for a moment, "Daniel, do you plan on telling your friend about our relationship?" 

The question made Danny shift a bit, uncomfortable with the tension that suddenly filled the air. How could he possibly explain his newly developed relationship to Johnathan? He wasn't technically dating Vlad, but at the same time they were more than friends? They had kissed only moments ago on the very couch they were sitting on and they both had romantic feelings towards the other, but Vlad had made it clear that he had no intention of labeling them as dating. Danny understood why Vlad was so careful, the older man didn't want Danny to feel like he was a replacement for Maddie. Danny sighed quietly before looking at Vlad with a small smile, "Maybe someday, but for now I don't think I'm ready to tell him. I want to keep the relationship between the two of us, just for the time being." 

Nodding in agreement, Vlad stood from his spot beside Danny, his arm leaving the boy's shoulder. "Thank you, Daniel. You don't seem to be the type to hide important things from your friends, but I appreciate that you are keeping the secret for me. Now, hurry and go so that you can be home in time for us to go out shopping, I think it's about time we go you some clothing of your own. As much as I enjoy seeing you in my clothing, I can assume you don't like how baggy the pants are on you." 

"Alright Vlad, I'll be back soon." 

Danny put on one of Vlad's jackets and his own shoes, waving softly to Vlad as he stepped out of the warm comfort of their dorm room and out into the chilly autumn air.

~

"Clockwork!" A deep voice called. 

The ghost, now in his elderly form turned from his screen to see someone approaching. With a flick of his wrist the screen faded away, the image of Danny leaving Vlad's apartment disappearing. "Ahh, what a pleasant surprise. Care to tell me why you came after I specifically told you not to enter my realm?" The ghost asked, his form shifting to that of a child. 

"How much longer?" The voice asked, the unwanted guest was trying to sound menacing, but Clockwork knew that they were getting desperate, of course he knew.

"As I have explained before you need to have patience. Let time take it's course," he softly answered, keeping his calm demeanor. "Coming to me doesn't quicken the process, you yourself should know how much longer, isn't the anniversary coming up?" 

A sad sigh was heard as the guest turned to leave, "two months," he mumbled under his breath. The man pulled his cloak around his body, before he turned intangible and floated out of Clockwork's tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm double updating, just because I know both chapters are so short and I want to give you guys something more. Anyway, leave me some theories, kind words, hateful words, concerns you have, anything you guys want! Or don't I'm not going to force anyone to do anything they don't want.


	8. These Feelings of Love

"Danny, I can't believe you already made up with Vlad," Johnathan admitted as he handed the younger boy a steaming cup of tea, the aroma tickling Danny's nose as he took a small sip of it. "When you came to me, you were convinced that the little mishap was the end of your relationship with Vlad." 

Smiling, the younger male set his cup of tea on the small end table before he looked at Johnathan. "I guess I was just overreacting, but we talked it out and decided that what happened was because he was still upset about losing out on Maddie, but neither of us regret it. We both decided that Vlad isn't ready for a relationship, so it's best for the both of us to just continue being friends," Danny explained as he glanced over to see Johnathan looking at him, his eyebrows knitted in worry.

"You know you don't have to fake a smile and you're always more than welcome to come stay at my place if it ever becomes too unbearable to be around Vlad. My roommate likes you well enough and we all know my apartment can use any extra cleaning it can get," Johnathan offered, lifting up his own cup of tea to sip at the cooling liquid. "It's nice to know that he hasn't totally disbanded your feelings though and it doesn't seem like he's running away from them either."

"It seems to be a bit out of his character for him to be acting like this, I will admit," Danny agreed. "Usually he's a bit uncaring towards those he's not close too, so it's a relief that I seem to be someone he cherishes."

Johnathan hummed quietly to himself, tapping his chin with his fingers, deep in thought. "Danny, I don't think you give yourself enough created. Obviously Vlad cares for you, anyone can see it. I don't know him too well a as a person, but I'm not an idiot. Though you two are not together at the moment, I think that it will happen and if it doesn't, I'm sure you can find someone else. How does the saying go? There are plenty of fish in the sea and you'll find a fish of your own." 

Lifting a hand to cover his mouth, Danny chuckled and smiled at his friend. "I don't think that there was a second part to the saying, but thank you. I appreciate having you to talk to, especially since we have only known each other for two months. It's great having a friend I can rely on. I'm sure I could have talked to Maddie and Jack about him, but since they are friends with him, they probably would have asked him about it. It's nice having a friend of my own.

"Danny, I'm your friend and I'm here for you anytime you need me to be." 

They continued talking for a bit longer, Danny listening to Johnathan complaining about his classes. Exams were coming up and since winter break was right around the corner, the college professor's were trying to cram in as many projects as they could into two months before the kids were done with the courses. 

Once they both finished their tea, Danny left, explaining that it was his turn to make dinner. 

As Danny was walking across the campus, the hushed voices of the students filling his ears as he walked by, he felt a shudder within his body, a light blue fog escaping his mouth. Quickly, Danny looked around for somewhere he could hide, spotting a tool shed in the distance. He made his way over to the small building, turning his head intangible to look inside to see if anyone else was occupying the building. Once he saw that the coast was clear, Danny stepped completely inside, his body transparent as he fazed through the wall. Green circles covering his body as he shifted from his human form into his ghost form. As he made his way to look for the ghost who had caused the blue mist, he was stopped by Clockwork appearing inside the shed, his tiny child form floating towards Danny.

"Clockwork?" Danny questioned, his tail turning into feet as he walked over to the ghost. "Why are you here? Did I do something wrong?" A red color spread across Danny's face as he realized Clockwork probably knew about Danny's feelings for Vlad and about how they both agreed to develop their relationship further.

Clockwork's form shifted into that of and old man, leaning on his staff for support. "Young boy, don't be so frightened by seeing me, I only came to remind you that in six months, your parents and Vlad will be creating their prototype for the Ghost Portal." Clock work floated towards Danny, his form hovering as he reached into his robe to pull out a bright blue liquid, the contents splashing in the bottle as Clockwork held it towards Danny. "I need you to replace this with the Diet Cola your father accidentally puts into the portal. This formula was created to counteract the chemicals, to keep them balanced." 

"But what about Vlad?" Danny asked, grabbing the vile from the other ghost. "Doesn't he need to get splashed in the face?" 

Clockwork smiled, "Daniel, don't forget that I know everything that happens before it happens, because it has already happened. Now I must be going back to the Ghost Zone, I've had an unwelcomed guest occupying my territory and need to make sure he's not messing up the time line." 

Danny reached forward, grabbing Clockwork's shoulder before the ghost could leave. "Wait! Have my friends asked about me? I've been here for awhile now, they must be worried about me." 

"Daniel, you've only been gone for two weeks according to present time. It's hard to explain how time works in different time lines. Because you are stuck in the past, time seems to be normal to you, but since we have already experienced it in the future, it goes by faster. Think of the concept of time like a dream, while you are dreaming the dream seems to go on, but in all reality dreams only last for seconds. Don't worry though, your friends have been informed about your absence and they are all awaiting your return. You should be back in your own time line in about three months, that is according to the futures time."

"Clockwork, one more thing before you go. I... Is the relationship between Vlad and I okay? Won't I ruin things by growing too close to him in this time line?" Daniel asked, his eyes looking down at the ground.

The older ghost chuckled, smiling as his form started to shift away, disappearing without giving Danny an answer. 

Danny just stared at where the ghost was, finding it odd as to why he didn't receive an answer. The boy could only assume that everything was alright and that their relationship was predestined by fate. Danny shifted his from back, examining the vile of bright blue liquid in his hand. The contents were bright, almost glowing as Danny held it. He slipped the vile in his pocket and made his way out of the shed, looking around to see that the sky was getting darker.  
~~~

Once Danny returned home, Vlad was there waiting for him at the door, already in his pajamas. 

"Daniel, I thought you said you weren't going to stay out too late. I was worried about where you were. If you planned on staying with Johnathan longer, you could have at least told me," Vlad said as he pulled Danny into a tight hug. 

Danny hugged the taller man back, wrapping his arms around he man's neck. "I never assumed you were the type to be so touchy. I'm sorry I stayed out later then intended, it was just that Johnathan was talking to me about all kinds of different things. I figure he was just trying to cheer me up because he doesn't know that we are not together, but together." 

Vlad pulled away from Danny as they both walked to the living room, both taking a seat where they usually sit. Vlad leaned back in his chair, tapping gently against the soft fabric. "I appreciate you keeping the secret between us, especially since he's been such a good friend to you." 

"Vlad, of course I would keep it between the two of us. I don't want you feeling uncomfortable about our relationship and I can understand why you want to just keep it between us for the time being. You don't want him to think that you are taking advantage of me and I understand that. I also understand why you want to take our relationship slow, it's because you are still dealing with your remaining feelings for Maddie and you don't want it to seem like you are just using me as a second choice," Danny explained as he rested his head against his pillow, curling up with the blanket Vlad had provided him with. 

"Daniel, don't think I still have feelings for Maddie. I forgive her for keeping her relationship with Jack from me, but my feelings for her disappeared when I found out. I guess I felt a bit betrayed, that are friendship was so fragile she couldn't tell me. Either way, I no longer have them and wish to move on, but I want to take it slow because I treasure you and I am now well aware that I'm your first male lover, as you are mine and I'm still unsure on how it works to be completely honest."

"Fruitloop, just because it's between two men doesn't mean it's different from a heterosexual couple. We just act as any couple would, we share our feelings and thoughts, comfort one another when the time is needed, and share physical connections with one another," Danny explained, the nickname he would call future Vlad escaping from his lips. 

"Fruitloop?" Vlad questioned, smiling at the name. "We can get back to our previous discussion in a moment, but why would you refer to me as Fruitloop?" 

Danny buried his face into his pillow, why did he call Vlad fruitloop in the first place? "I just think it's fitting. Fruitloops are colorful and bright, so maybe... you brighten up my life?" 

Both boy's made eye contact, smiling as they started to laugh at the cheesy remark. 

"Fine, if I'm to be called Fruitloop, then you'll be Little Badger," Vlad concluded, smiling at the boy.

Danny froze, looking at Vlad with wide eyes. "Why that nickname?" 

"I just... badgers are determined animals, prepared to do anything they set their mind too, not to mention it's the Wisconsin animal symbol. I think it's fitting, not to mention you are a bit smaller than me, especially in height," Vlad explained. 

Though Danny was worried about the nickname and it left an ill taste in his mouth, he smiled at Vlad and nodded his head. To the Vlad in the future, maybe it was meant as a venomous term to make Danny feel inferior to him, but for the past Vlad, it was a term of endearment. "Alright, then I guess I'm your little Badger." Danny yawned quietly, smiling up at Vlad as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the pillow, he was exhausted. 

"Danny, you should change before laying down to sleep, not to mention you've only ate twice today. I have some frozen dinners in the freezer, though it's not a well balanced meal, it's better than nothing." 

"Hmm, I'm too tired. I'll eat a good breakfast tomorrow, but for now I don't feel like getting up." 

Vlad sighed and stood from his chair, leaning down above Danny to kiss the younger boy on the forehead. "Very well, but we need to fix this habit of yours, it's not good to skip meals, but you should still get up to change into something more comfortable and brush your teeth." 

The half ghost got up, obeying Vlad's suggestion. He didn't want to wake up with bad breath and didn't want to wrinkle what few clothing he had. As soon as he finished his nightly routine though, the young boy fell asleep on the couch, exhausted from the crying and events of the day. Vlad only watched in amusement and tucked the boy in with a loving smile decorating his face. He slowly dragged his finger's through the boy's charcoal hair, before going to bed.  
~~~

Four months, that's how long Danny had been stuck in the past and within those four months, he had completely fallen for the older man who would one day hunt him down as a game. Danny couldn't explain his fascination with the college student, but it was the little things he was in love with. The young half ghost was in love with the way Vlad would press his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose with his pinky or in the way he would try to bring home sweets for Danny whenever he had worked hard on cleaning the house. He was rewarded more often than not for just completing simple tasks and even if he only received a soft pat on his head, Danny became ecstatic. He had developed feelings for Vlad a within the first month, but now the feelings were past that of a crush and blooming towards those of love, making it harder for him to be in the same building with Vlad, due to the simple fact that Danny was never one to hide his feelings and he wasn't sure if Vlad was ready to accept them. It was hard to hide them though because he would get flustered when Vlad would speak to him and his mouth would feel like it was filled with sand. It was hard for Danny to have a calm conversation with Vlad, usually he would stumble over his own words and would make a bigger fool of himself. 

Vlad had noticed the changes in the boy as well, yet was unable to correctly guess why the boy was acting the way he was. On the weekends, Danny would usually stay in Johnathan's dorm, telling Vlad some lie about the other college student needing help with his homework. It would have been believable, but Danny wasn't attending any classes similar to Johnathan's and the younger man knew nothing about what Johnathan was studying. Vlad would just let it slide usually, allowing the freedom to Danny, but lately he had been avoiding contact with Vlad. Danny wouldn't strike up a conversation with Vlad and when they were in the same room together Danny would act as if he was engrossed in a random book he had pulled from Vlad's bookshelf. It wasn't as if Vlad was mad about being ignored, he was simply annoyed by the fact that he had no idea on what he had done that had forced Danny to ignore him, especially since they had recently started a more intimate relationship than that of just friends.

It was a Saturday afternoon in December and Vlad was enjoying his break. He had completed the homework he had received before break, so he could relax. He had hoped to spend time with Danny, seeing as they both hadn't said a single word to each other in the past three days. Vlad had locked himself in his room while he did all the homework that was assigned to him and Danny had stayed at Johnathan's dorm for the past two nights. 

"Daniel?" Vlad called out as he finally left his room, looking into the living room to see that the younger male was sleeping on the couch. The boy had somehow cocooned himself with the blanket, the soft material twisted around his body. Vlad quietly made his way over to the couch and leaned down and looked down at the boy, his face hoovering only mere inches from the others. "Daniel?" he called out again this time lightly tapping the boy on his shoulder.

Danny turned over, now facing Vlad as he mumbled to himself. Vlad couldn't help but smile finding it endearing on how childish the boy can be while he was sleeping. He tried one more time, shaking Danny's shoulders this time, hoping that the action would disturb the boy's deep slumber.

" 'm tired," Danny said quietly, turning back away from Vlad and pulling the blankets over his body tighter. Danny's head was now covered by the blanket and he started to snore softly. 

Laughing quietly, Vlad once again started shaking Danny's shoulder. "Daniel, it's past one in the afternoon. I know you were out late tonight, but you missed breakfast and lunch and I'm craving one of Chef Daniel's killer macaroni," Vlad explained. He gave a small pout as the boy continued to ignore him, but as everyone knew, Vlad would not be ignored by anyone. "Daniel!" Vlad was now shaking Daniel harder, listening to the boy as he groaned out loudly in annoyance. 

Wide awake now, Danny sat up on his make shift bed and looked to Vlad. He suddenly realized what had happened and a light hue of red filled his face as he became embarrassed. "I'm... sorry that it took me so long to wake up. Johnathan had me stay up with him late last night, but his roommate ended up getting home early so I wasn't able to stay the night again. I didn't get home till late, so I'm sorry if I woke you up as well." Danny was looking around the room, looking everywhere except at Vlad. 

Vlad knew that the boy was lying, especially due to the fact that the boy wouldn't even look in his directions. Vlad let out a sigh, causing the younger male to finally look up at him. It didn't last too long though, because as soon as their eyes made contact, Danny had looked away and instead was intently staring at his hands. "What's been going on with you lately?" Vlad questioned, running his hands through Danny's already messy hair. "You've been ignoring me lately and I don't know what I possibly could have done to cause you to become so distant. I thought we were getting along wonderfully for the past few months, but now you won't talk to me at all and you're spending all your time at Johnathan's house. You haven't even come by the house to check on me. Have I done something wrong?" 

It was strange for Vlad to be upset over someone ignoring him, especially seeing as it's only been for a few days. Vlad wasn't a clingy man, the opposite to be exact, but here he was begging Danny for an answer as to why the younger man had been avoiding him. He felt silly to be honest, but he was also infuriated by the boy's attitude. What had he done? Nothing he could possibly think of, so why was the boy trying his hardest to keep away from Vlad? 

"Nothing," Danny said softly, pulling Vlad away from his own thoughts. "I'm sorry for making you worry about our friendship, but you haven't done anything wrong. I've just been thinking about my parents and how much they should be missing me."

Panicking, Vlad looked to the younger male, trying his best to fake a smile. "If you are so worried about it Daniel, why not go back home to them? I'm sure they miss you a lot and want to see you again. I know you said they pay little attention to you, but they have to have noticed you missing by now and I'm sure that it's upsetting them to not have you around."

Danny sighed, pushing the covers off his body so that he could sit comfortably on the edge of the couch. "It's harder than you think, I can't go back home and just visit them. If I leave now, I'm afraid I won't ever be allowed back here," he explained, grabbing Vlad's hand and pulling the older male on the couch to side beside him. "And I can't risk giving you up," Danny said, knowing that one day soon he would have to leave Vlad and their relationship. 

"I'm glad I mean so much to you, but Daniel, this can't be the only reason as to why you've been acting this way. You won't speak to me or look at me and you seem to be spending an obnoxious amount of time at Johnathan's dorm. I just want to know what I did wrong, so I can fix it, I can't risk losing you." 

Whether it be because it was too early in the morning or just because Danny was tired of holding his emotions in, he started crying, leaning towards Vlad to bury his head in the older male's chest. "I'm scared to lose what we have," he whispered quietly, his tears causing him to stumble over the sentence. 

Vlad wrapped his arms around the boy, rubbing his back in slow circles. "Daniel, that's ridiculous. Why do you think you would possibly lose me?" 

It was so soft spoken, so quiet that Danny himself was surprised Vlad had heard, but as soon as he said "I love you.", he felt Vlad's body become tense. "I'm sorry, I know you said that you didn't want to get too serious right off the bat, but I can't help it." 

"Daniel," Vlad called out softly, kissing the top of the boys head in hopes of calming him down. "It's okay, I'm not mad." The younger boy's tears only causing Vlad to become more upset. He couldn't believe that he had been so dumb and couldn't see what was completely obvious. Daniel was avoiding Vlad because of his feelings for the older man. "While I can't say the words back Daniel, please understand I care deeply for you, so much more than I have for any other person and I'm sorry for ignoring your feelings. Just know that you never have to hide what you are feeling, I'm always here to listen to you whenever you need me to. But I also want to ask you, what do you want to happen now?" 

Danny buried his face into Vlad's shoulder, knowing that Vlad was unable to say that he loved him. "I wanted you to tell me you loved me back." There was a bitter feeling left in the younger boy's stomach, one that caused him to cry harder. "Can you not say it because you still love Maddie?" 

"Little Badger, no," Vlad answered quickly, rubbing Danny's back lightly, feeling the boy's shoulders tremble as he continued to cry. "I wouldn't even say I loved Maddie, she was just a crush. Neither of us got to the point in our relationship to where I could admit I loved her, you are so much different than her. I adore you Daniel, everything about you. Just understand that I don't want to throw the word around loosely. I can inform you that my feelings for you are deeper than the feelings I've carried for Maddie or any other love interest I've had." 

Danny's tears slowed as he looked to Vlad, his eyes red and swollen. "Really?" 

Vlad reached down to wipe away Danny's tears, leaning down to kiss the boy's forehead as he nodded. "Daniel, you know that I won't lie to you. Now you need to stop crying, your eyes are already swollen and I don't like seeing you cry because you are unhappy." 

Nodding, Danny took in a few deep breaths and smiled at the older man, using his sleeve to rub at his face. "I know you can't say you love me and I will respect that, for now at least, but would you be okay if we actually started dating. Like if we became boyfriends?" 

Vlad blinked, looking down at Danny in amusement. "I'm sorry, I didn't think I actually needed to ask you to be my boyfriend, I just thought after three months of us being together that it was sort of obvious we were together." 

Danny pulled away and lightly punched Vlad, not in a very serious manner, but as a sort of teasing hit. "You jerk! The whole reason I was second guessing your feelings for me is because you never made it clear that you were ready to actually be a serious couple! I thought you were still wanting to be more than friends, but not a couple." 

"Hey now," Vlad complained as he pulled Danny against his chest once more, holding the boy close. "Of course I want you to be my boyfriend." Though Vlad felt the boy struggle to get away, Vlad just tightened his grip and rested his chin on the boy's shoulder, kissing him behind the ear. His lips lingered above Danny's ear, contemplating how he should word his next question. "Daniel," he whispered, his breath tickling the smaller boy's neck. "Daniel, Little Badger, would you like to be my boyfriend, officially?" 

Chocking, Danny could only nod his head, tears still sliding down his cheek. He tangled his fingers into the soft fabric of Vlad's shirt as he held on to the other man. His fingers were trembling as he held the fabric. 

"Daniel," he heard Vlad whisper, his body being pushed away from Vlad's as the older man looked at him, a gentle smile on his face. Vlad leaned forward, kissing Danny's lips. "Go wash your face, I'll make us some breakfast. I'm guessing that while you were at Johnathan's, you didn't eat correctly." 

"You do know he is studying to be a nutritionist, right?" Danny laughed, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. 

"Yes, I remember you telling me, but I also know that you tend to skip out on meals when you are upset and Johnathan will allow it. I already told you we need to fix your eating habits, especially since you are still growing. If you continue to eat so poorly, you'll never be taller than me or as strong as me." 

"Oh no, here comes egotistical Vlad," Danny teased, sticking his tongue out. 

Vlad rolled his eyes, though a smile was still decorating his face. "So childish. Also Daniel it's not me being egotistical if it's true. You are shorter than me. Now it would be egotistical of me to say that I'm the most intelligent student attending this college. While it may be true, I would never say it, but there's no harm in thinking it." 

"Remind me again why I decided to date you?" 

"Because you are an anti-social person who spends all day inside of my apartment like a hermit." 

Danny shook his head and got up from the couch, leaning down to quickly kiss Vlad's cheek. "Thanks, just remember that when I take up Johnathan on his offer to go to a party. Then you won't be able to call me a hermit." 

Vlad just sighed and accepted the kiss, watching as Danny left the living room to go shower. "Yeah, you will never take him up on that offer," Vlad called to Danny as he got up from the couch, heading to the kitchen to make dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more weeks of school guys! I want to make a special chapter for getting 100 kudos on this fine piece of work! (I'm joking, haha.) Anyway, give me theories, questions, requests, love, hate, or whatever else you guys want to give me. I was going to write some smut for you all for the 100 kudos, but I'm not too sure if that's what you guys want. Let me know!


	9. A New Discovery

Water dripped off the ends of Danny's hair as he finished his shower, tiny droplets of water sticking to his skin as he used a towel to dry himself off. Within the few months that Danny has been here, he has slowly been adding his own items to Vlad's collection. The older male had a tendency to spoil Danny, offering to buy the younger boy whatever he wanted. You could see their everyday lives blending together, Danny keeping his own assortment of hair products in the cabinet above the bathroom sink and his dirty clothing mixing with Vlad's in the basket they kept in the corner. It was bitter-sweet sight for Danny to see everyday, because he knew that in the not so distant future, he would have to leave all of this behind. His time with Vlad was fleeting and the vile of neon blue ecto-goo was a constant reminder of what little time they had. 

Danny draped the towel over his head, drying off his hair before moving on to the rest of his body. Though they were finally together officially, the young half-ghost couldn't help but to imagine their future when he was alone. Vlad was a criminal, constantly chasing after him and putting not only his life in danger, but the lives of his friends and family. The older man seemed to be at peace with Jack and Maddie's relationship, so why had he grown so bitter in the future? What had caused the man to allow his heart to grow so cold? 

"Daniel?" Vlad called, gentally knocking on the bathroom door with his knuckles. "I heard that the water was no longer running and I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner together tonight." 

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Danny agreed. He changed proceeded to get dressed, using his hair gel to spike up his locks.

After he deemed himself as ready, Danny left the bathroom door and walked back to the living room to see Vlad looking over his school notes. Danny knew that once Vlad's break was over he would be back to his busy schedule. Though Danny wouldn't admit it, he was fairly lonely when Vlad attended his classes. The younger male was left at home for about four hours each day, sometimes even longer if Vlad was working in the lab. Most days, Danny would finish the work Vlad had given him to do and would just laze around the house, reading whatever books Vlad had checked out at the library for him. Most of the books were about space and repeated themselves a lot, but Danny was glad that Vlad at least thought of him while going about his day. 

"Ready to go, Little Badger?" Vlad asked, smiling up as Vlad got up from his chair.

"Mhm," Danny acknowledged, walking to the door while Vlad grabbed his wallet and jacket. 

~~~~

"So wait, your parents weapons would always chase after you while they were in the testing phase?" Vlad questioned, laughing as Danny told him about one of his parent's "malfunctioning" devices chased him or captured him.

"I don't know why, but they would always end up either capturing me and forcing me into a small uncomfortable chamber, or my clothing would become ruined Do you know how many shirts I had to throw out because they were stained and I was terrified that I would become some sort of mutant creature if I wore the piece again?" 

"I can't believe that your parents are so far invested in this line of work, I never imagined that there were other's interested in researching ghosts. If I'm ever able to meet your parents, I would love to exchange information with them, thought I doubt I have much to offer them seeing as they are already doing so well in their research. Now they just need to find a way to get their weapons to keep from attacking humans and attack ghosts instead." 

Danny smiled, taking a bit of his pizza as he listened to Vlad talk. It was thrilling to see Vlad talk so passionately about something he loved. Though he excelled in his classes and was intelligent, Vlad had very few interests when it came to school. He didn't so much like looking into the arts, maths, or history classes, but preferred the science courses. He especially liked the psychological aspect of science, learning about why people do what they do. That may be due to the fact that many ghosts are around due to the fact that they have unfinished business in their lives or just are filled with vengeance. "I'm sure you can offer a lot of insight to my parents, especially from whatever machine you are working on at the moment. It seems to be very difficult from all the notes you've shown me." 

Vlad's face lit up again as he quickly swallowed the piece of pizza he was chewing, "I haven't even told you what we are working on, have I? Well, while in class I was thinking that there has to be a dimension in which the ghosts reside in. Do you know the theory of how there is a different time line for every decision we make? Well what if there is a different dimension in which the ghosts live in, but it's similar to our earth? That means there can be a whole universe filled with different ghosts, similar to our universe. So we have been trying to create a portal in which to connect the two worlds, similar to the astronauts idea of visiting space, we will visit the ghosts realm." 

"Vlad, that sounds amazing and I can't even begin to imagine how you would connect the two worlds. It sounds like a lot of equations and scientific theories that I couldn't even begin to comprehend." Danny was honestly shocked to hear Vlad explain the ghost realm, because he was closer to the truth than Danny thought he would be. The ghost zone like a replica of the Earth, the different zones of the realm similar to the different continents of the world. "So how far along are you?" 

From the disappointed look on the older male's face, Danny could guess that they weren't too far into the portal. "Well to be honest we only have a vague idea on how to create the portal, but there's many aspects that we need to look at it from. We need to find an energy source that's big enough to power it and we need to find a way to rip a hole between the two dimensions to connect them, but we also need to keep everyone safe. We can't release the ghosts into the human world or we could end up dooming humanity." 

Danny thought for a moment, wondering if he could remember how his parents created their portal. "It does seem a bit challenging, especially since it's not a concrete experiment Maybe you could possibly connect the two realms? It would take finding some sort of ghost like substance, such as ectoplasm to react with the device. Maybe by having the ectoplasm, you can stretch it out, creating a connection between the two worlds. Finding ectoplasm would be hard, but I could possibly contact my parents to send some?" 

"You, would do that for me?" Vlad asked, smiling at Danny, a look of pure adoration emitting from the older male's eyes. "I understand that you can't return to your parents yet, in fear of them not allowing you to return, but how could they send me a sample of ectoplasm? It's not as if that's something mail service is going to deliver." 

Danny shrugged, taking a drink of the milkshake he ordered, smiling at Vlad. "Well, let me just ask them first. I'll send them a letter tomorrow, asking for them to send a sample over and kind of bribe them with my return." 

Vlad was ecstatic to have Danny supporting him, he didn't think he would ever find anyone, but Maddie who shared his fascination with ghosts, but his theory seemed to have been wrong. "Daniel, I don't know how I could ever repay you for your help." 

The younger boy smiled and reached below the table, gently grabbing Vlad's hand and smiling at the other male. "You don't need to thank me for anything Vlad. You've taken care of me for so long and you've offered me a place to stay when you didn't even know who I was. Besides, couples should support their significant other's dreams instead of bringing them down." 

"I couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend," Vlad whispered, squeezing the boys hand. Maybe this is what love was and maybe, just maybe Vlad has been missing it in his life for too long. 

~~~~  
A week had passed and within that week, Danny had kept his promise to Vlad, sending a "letter" to his parents to gather up some ectoplasm goo from his parents to be given to Vlad. While Vlad was attending classes, Danny had changed to his ghost form, using his ability to open ghost portals to create a smaller version of one, while he was creating the portal, Danny noticed that the blue vile glowed when it appeared. As Danny held the vile to the portal, he noticed that he didn't need to keep the portal open himself, the blue ectoplasm reacted with the portal, serving as a power source to keep it open. Danny had decided on what Clockwork wanted him to do. Danny needed to give the vile to Vlad and when they were presenting the portal, he would need to create a portal within the contraption and once the portal was opened, it would stay opened thanks to the power from the blue ectoplasm. 

The young male ghost heard the door open and shut, looking up to see Vlad entering their apartment, throwing his backpack on his ground as he walked into the living room, instantly sitting down in his armchair. 

"Rough day?" Danny questioned, walking over to Vlad and behind the seat, leaning down to massage the man's shoulders. It had become a daily activity between the two of them. Danny would ask about Vlad's day and while he was listening he would try his hardest to make his boyfriend relax, which usually resulted in a massage and cuddles while watching a movie before Vlad spent the rest of his night studying. 

"My professor is completly dismissing the idea of creating a ghost zone, saying it's impossible to connect two dimension and he even argued that there's no way that a zone dedicated to ghosts exists. Aren't college professors supposed to support you and push your boundaries, not keep you in a box? And science is all about theories and questioning the world, you can't accept everything as fact unless you've tested the theory multiple times and got the same result each time," Vlad explained, throwing his arms up in defeat.

Danny leaned down, softly brushing his lips against Vlad's neck, littering the man's skin in kisses. "It sounds like you've had a pretty rough day, but I know something that will make you feel a little bit better.

Vlad leaned his head back, quietly grunting as he felt Danny's lips kissing and sucking on his neck. He had to admit that the sexual side of their relationship was lacking, but that wasn't because neither of them wanted to develop further, rather it was just Vlad was always exhausted after his classes began again. "And what would make me happier, little badger?"

Stopping his attack, Danny pulled away from Vlad's neck and reached into his pocket, pulling out the glowing blue vile and holding it in front of Vlad's eyes.

Before Danny could realize what was happening, Vlad was out of his chair and grabbing the vile, examining the contents as soon as he was holding it within his own hands. His mouth was gaping open, unsure on what he could say to express his excitement. The material was unlike anything he had seen, glowing even when he cupped his fingers around the flask. "Is this?"

Danny nodded, growing excited as he watched the man he loved hold the material as if it held the answers to the world, which in some ways it did. "It arrived in the mail today, though my parents took extra precautions and sent it in a book where they cut out the pages. They explained in the letter though that since it's ghost genetics, it shouldn't be discovered by any human made technology unless the monitor was made specifically for sensing ghost substances." 

Vlad looked at the vile one last time before enveloping Danny in a hug, holding the boy close to his chest. "Daniel, you can't imagine how thankful I am that you would do this for me. This is absolutely amazing and it will assist me further in my studies, you're honestly the best thing to ever have happened to me, besides my grandfather of course." Vlad put the vile down on the bookshelf and placed his right hand on Danny's lower back, pulling the boy into a passionate kiss. 

To say the least, Danny was surprised to be kissed so fiercely so suddenly, but he wasn't complaining. Danny wrapped his arms around Vlad's neck, reaching up to play with the other man's hair, happy to feel the soft locks entwining between his fingers. Suddenly, Danny felt the back of his legs hit the couch, his body falling flat against the soft cushions as Vlad stood above him, a look of pure desire on the older male's face. 

Leaning down, Vlad put his body over Danny's, pushing the other's body deeper into the cushions, reattaching his lips to Danny's. Vlad bit down lightly, softly sucking on Danny's bottom lip. Danny couldn't do anything but to tangle his fingers into Vlad's hair, allowing Vlad to control the kiss. It was hot and quick, their breaths mingling together as they both pulled away to breath before once again resuming the action. 

Vlad moved down, kissing Danny's jawline and leaving marks on the boy's pale skin, while his hand traveled up Danny's shirt, exposing the boy's toned stomach. Vlad lightly ran his fingers over the skin, earning a soft sigh from Danny, but the noise only fulled Vlad's lust. He pulled away, smirking at the boy who was now a flustered mess. "God Daniel, I don't think you know what the noises you make do to me. I love them all. When you sing in the shower, the way you laugh, how you tease me, but I think I've found my new favorite. I want to hear more, I want you to be an even bigger mess." 

He leaned down again, trailing his hands further up Danny's shirt, rubbing the skin above the boy's ribs, causing the boy to let out another quiet sigh, his back arching off the couch as Vlad kissed his collarbone, sucking and licking the spot until it became red, causing Vlad to smile in amusement. He made sure to mark Danny in a spot that could be easily hidden from others, but he knew that it was there and he took pride in the fact that he could make the boy such a mess. 

"Vlad," Danny whined, looking up at the older male. 

Once Danny looked up, he had sealed his fate. Vlad pulled the rim of Danny's shirt up, collecting the fabric around Danny's neck so that he could have more access to the boy's skin. He leaned down, kissing the boy's stomach, growling as he listened to noises that left Danny's mouth. He froze for a moment, glancing up to Danny with a look of fear in his eyes. "Daniel, if you want me to stop, tell me so. I don't want to push you too fast if you aren't ready for it." 

"You really are a fruitloop," Danny joked, smiling softly at Vlad. "If I didn't want this, I would have stopped you before it esculated to this point." 

Accepting the answer, Vlad resumed his journey, trailing kisses up the boy's chest, stopping at the boy's nipples. Vlad had a moment where he thought about how lucky he was, having such a beautiful man to himself. Danny was his and nobody else could see the male displayed so erotically, except him. Vlad finally pressed his lips against the soft buds, hearing Danny gasp softly before moaning out quietly. He pressed his fingers on the other one, wanting to pleasure both. Vlad licked and nipped at them both, lightly dragging his teeth against the sensitive skin, listening to any noise of discomfort from Danny, but all he could hear was the boy's moans and gasps.

As Vlad continued his attention to Danny's nipples, his hand went further down the boy's body, unbuttoning the boy's pants. Vlad waited a moment, waiting to see if Danny showed any restraint, wondering how far he was allowed to go. As his hand ghosted over the boy's bulge, Vlad heard Danny inhale before bucking his hips up to meet Vlad's hand. 

"Gosh, if I knew you were this willing, I should have done this sooner. I feel bad for making my little Daniel wait so long for release. Tell me Daniel, do you ever touch yourself thinking about what I would do to you? How may times have you touched yourself in the shower we share together?" 

"I have," Danny answered, his voice low and broken as he softly spoke. "I think about you all the time and I can't help but have a reaction." 

"It's nice to see that you are as honest as your body is. Now tell me, am I gentle to you in your fantasies or am I rough, dominating you?" 

It was so quiet, Vlad thought he only imagined it, but he heard the short answer fall from the boy's lips. "Rough, Vlad." 

Vlad smiled, slipping his hand under Danny's boxers, feeling the boy's body as he felt Vlad's fingers wrap around his member. Vlad started softly dragging his hand up, applying more pressure as he heard Danny beg for more. He loved hearing the boy's mumbling, though he wasn't sure if Danny was aware of what he was saying. He was calling Vlad's name out, while asking for more. Vlad continued stroking, returning his lips to tease Danny's nipples. 

It didn't take Danny long before he tasted the sweet taste of release, his back relaxing against the couch as he tried to come down from his high. He was thankful Vlad was kind enough to stop the simulation before it became too much. He was panting, his eyes closed as he felt Vlad pamper his face in kisses. 

"You are beautiful Daniel," Vlad complimented, removing his hand from Danny's jeans and walking to the bathroom to clean himself off and to grab a washcloth to clean the younger, satisfied boy. As Vlad returned, he brought a pair of Danny's pajama pants, allowing the boy to kick off his jeans and boxers, before Vlad cleaned up the little mess he had caused. 

Once Danny was cleaned up and in clean clothing, they both laid on the couch, Danny wrapped in Vlad's arms. Much to Vlad's amusement, the boy hadn't quit smiling. 

"Vlad, do you want me to return the favor?" Danny asked, looking up at his lover. 

"No, I'm perfectly satisfied with seeing you reach your peak of pleasure, besides, I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything. I chose to get you off and I'm not expecting you to help me," Vlad answered, tightening his grip around Danny's slim body. 

Danny accepted the answer, knowing that there was no arguing with the older man when he made up his mind. "I love you, Vlad and I know you don't like tossing the word around, but just know that I do love you and I'm happy we are dating." 

"Daniel, I love you too," Vlad answered, kissing the boys forehead. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize but I can for sure say that I do love you and I can't imagine not having you in my arms."

Smiling, Danny closed his eyes, happy to know that his feelings were being returned. He drifted off, falling asleep in Vlad's arms. While Vlad noticed that the smaller boy had fallen asleep, he couldn't find the will to disturb the boy's slumber, so he decided to allow the boy to continue sleeping, no matter how sore he would be in the morning. Vlad offered Danny one last kiss before he closed his own eyes, fallign asleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys, I've started school again and honestly haven't been feeling too motivated lately. I only have three more chapters that are already completed, so hopefully I get the time and energy to write some more. Anyway, i hope you all enjoyed the chapter, tell me question or concerns. And yes, I noticed that I repeated why they call each other fruitloop and little badger twice, i haven't gotten to remove it will, but I will try to soon enough! Thank you for your patience and like I said, enjoy!


	10. Skeletons in the Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While cleaning around the house, Danny finds something that was supposed to be kept a secret. Slight angst, but I promise nothing too bad.

The sunlight peeked through the curtains, shinning lightly against Danny's face, causing the boy to toss. He woke up, feeling another body next to his. As Danny opened his eyes, he looked up to see Vlad laying beside him, his arms still wrapped around Danny's body. A smile stretched across the boy's lips as he looked at the older male, finding it hard to believe that they were actually a couple. 

Danny leaned up, placing a kiss on the underside of Vlad's chin, laughing as he scrunched his face up, his own eyes blinking open to look down at the boy in his arms. "Well, I would have to say I wouldn't mind waking up every morning like this," Vlad spoke, his voice rough and groggy from sleep. "I do have to admit though, this couch is not very comfortable and I can't imagine it was made for two grown men to sleep on. I don't see how you've been sleeping on it without complaining." 

"I don't really mind much, I've slept in much worse places. Have you ever imagined sleeping on an RV floor while your parents are driving like maniacs, claiming they saw a ghost fly by? It's not the best sleeping spot, but when you are tired, you tend to learn not to complain as long as you are getting sleep," Danny stated, smiling at Vlad. "Besides, I'd much rather wake up to your wonderful face than be comfortable while sleeping." 

Vlad laughed, a small snort escaping as he did. "I can't believe you would say something so cheesy, it's too early in the morning for this." 

Humming, Danny just shrugged his shoulders the best he could. He squirmed around in Vlad's hold, causing the older man to let him go. "What time is your first class today?" 

"It shouldn't be starting until 11, so I have about two hours before I need to leave," Vlad answered, looking at the clock he had decorating his walls. "I'm glad we woke up at a decent hour though and I haven't slept that good in awhile. Usually I'm too stressed out about exams or labs to really get a goods night sleep, but any problem I have seems to disappear whenever you are near." 

"And you called me cheesy?"

Vlad shrugged, mimicking Danny's response before leaning up, kissing Danny's temple. "You know that I'm only messing around with you. I think it's adorable when you say something romantically cheesy, especially when it's targeted towards me." 

"Who else would I be saying cheesy lines to? Is there someone else I'm dating that I'm unaware of?" 

"Of course not, I'm not the type to share. I'm just saying, I'm not too sure I would enjoy you complimenting someone else or waking up to someone else." 

"I'm glad there's nobody else who I'm interested in," Danny replied, stretching his arms up. He had to admit that it was more comfortable sleeping on the couch alone, but he wasn't about to complain when he got to sleep with Vlad last night. He was just happy to be able to clear up the confusion between the two without someone becoming upset. "Since you still have two hours before your class, do you want me to make breakfast for you before you have to leave? Today is Wednesday so you'll be gone until 8, right?" 

Vlad sighed, nodding his head. "Yeah, I wish that I didn't have to be gone so long and leave you here by yourself, but at least tomorrow I only have two classes, so we can spend the day together then. Maybe I should invest in a futon if you are going to continue to stay with me." 

Since he had been living with Vlad for so long, Danny had created his own schedule of how to complete the chores around the house. On days when Vlad was gone for most of the day, Danny would clean the house the best he could, getting the vigorous work out of the way so they could spend more time together when Vlad wasn't busy with classes. Danny had an assortment of tasks, but none of them were very hard and if it ever became too much, he knew that Vlad would make time to help him. Vlad didn't have classes on Friday, so the two would spend the day together doing housework, cleaning whatever Danny hadn't go to yet and of course taking very long breaks together. Saturdays, they spent the day in town, shopping for groceries and whatever other items had caught Vlad's eye. And Sunday, well Sundays were Danny's favorite days. They both would spend the day together, though sometimes Vlad would need to study for a bit, he still made sure to include Danny, using the extra person to help him go through flashcards or over his notes. It was a good system they had and Vlad didn't ever really get mad at Danny if he didn't clean the house, Vlad has even told the younger male to take a break, but Danny figured that he needed to do something or else he would go insane with all the alone time he had. 

"Vlad, you need to quit making unnecessary purchases. I don't mind sleeping on the couch and it's not like it's a permanent thing. I have to leave at some point, so for now we can keep the sleeping arrangements as they are. Now, breakfast." 

Vlad was now standing, doing his own stretching exercises. "I don't see why you are talking about leaving now, you've already been living with me for almost five months, but it is our decision. I think some pancakes and bacon would be nice. Would you mind if I took a shower while you cooked or would you like me to assist you?" 

"I should be able to manage on my own," Danny said, thanking Vlad for his offer at helping. "It's nice that you want to help, but I don't want you to feel the need to rush out of the house for your classes." 

"Alright Daniel, but I'm cooking you breakfast Saturday and I don't want to hear any complaints." 

A smile returned on Danny's face as he leaned up, ignoring the morning breath as he placed a light and quick kiss against the other male's lips. "Remind me again what I did to get such an awesome boyfriend?" 

"You just accepted me and that's all I've ever wanted." 

~  
Danny finished cooking breakfast as Vlad was leaving the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and water droplets dripping from his hair. Danny looked up from putting the two pancakes on each plate, his mouth slightly gaping at he looked at Vlad. No, it was not his first time seeing Vlad shirtless. The first time had been a bit awkward and was when they hadn't yet realized their feelings for each other. Now that they were together though, the action felt more intimate and caused a very strong reaction in Danny. Though he had considered himself straight before dating Vlad, Danny wasn't afraid to admit when a guy was good looking and Vlad, well Danny was surprised that someone as god like was with him. 

Vlad's body was slim, but not in a sickly manner. He was toned as well, how Danny didn't know. Vlad could spend some time at the gym or it could be just from lifting heavy lab equipment and walking around the campus so much, but either way, Danny was impressed. Though Danny had a smaller body build compared to Vlad and was slightly shorter, he was still in shape from all the ghost hunting.

"Like what you see, Daniel?" Vlad questioned,pulling Danny out of his thoughts. 

When Danny looked up, he saw that Vlad had his signature smirk, one side of his mouth quirked up higher than the other. He thought of something clever and teasing to say, but just smiled while sighing softly, returning his eyes to look into Vlad's. "Yeah, I really do and I sometimes wonder why someone as wonderful as you is with someone as boring as me. You have so much going for you Vlad and compared to me, you are an actual adult who has goals in life."

The smile left Vlad's face as he stepped towards Danny, taking the dishes from the boy to place them on the counter. "Hey now, I don't want to hear you talking so negatively about yourself. You are beautiful and I adore you the way you are. And you don't need to know what you want now, you are still young. You said you were going to take a year off and that you were going to attend college next fall, there's nothing wrong with that. Though it's my senior year, I'll still be there to support you while you are in college. Maybe we can get an apartment together, somewhere off campus so that we don't have to worry about everyone else." 

Danny knew it was a lie. Vlad wouldn't be there to support him through college, hell Vlad had tried to kill him multiple times before he was done with high school, but he wanted to hope. God he wished so badly for things to be differently. He wanted to believe that he could forever be with Vlad, the Vlad he had now. The one who smiled at the smallest things. The one who would crinkle his eyebrows whenever he was solving a really complex problem. Tears were filling Danny's eyes, threatening to fall as he imagined how Vlad's life could have been different if only Vlad had loved someone else. "Okay," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the older man's neck. He needed something to keep him anchored, because sometimes he felt as if he would float away from everything. "I want nothing more than to have you at my side the whole way." 

Vlad rubbed Danny's back, upset that he had caused Danny to feel so poorly. "Daniel, I understand that you are scared of what the future holds, but why are you crying, my love?" 

"I'm just scared that one day we will need to separate and I just don't want that." 

"I can't promise what the future holds for us, but we are here in the now and I don't plan on leaving you alone. Not at least until I have to leave for class," Vlad joked, trying to lighten the mood of the situation. 

Danny laughed quietly and pulled away from Vlad, lifting his head as Vlad used the pad of his thumb to wipe away the tears that were currently staining his cheeks. "Thank you, that really means a lot to me. Now, we should eat before the food gets cold." 

~~~   
Plates were emptied as they both consumed their foods, Vlad leaving soon after so that he could study a bit for a quiz he had in his first class. Though before he left, Vlad had showered Danny's face in kisses, reminding the boy how much he loved him. Though Danny wasn't feeling completely better, he was still happy to know that Vlad cared enough to make things better. 

While Vlad was gone for the day, Danny decided that he would tackle two tasks. The first being getting the kitchen cleaned and that meant he would wipe down all of the equipment and throw out any bad food that hadn't been eaten, which usually there was very little. The second thing Danny wanted to do was clean Vlad's room, which the younger boy had no idea how much he would actually have to clean. Vlad was a pretty organized person, so he didn't think he would have to do much, but he knew that Vlad had laundry that needed to be washed, so if nothing else Danny would collect the dirty clothing. 

Cleaning the kitchen hadn't been that hard and it didn't take Danny that long to do. Most of the kitchen appliances were clean, mainly because both Danny and Vlad cleaned up after themselves when they cooked food. The oven did need a bit of attention, but that was only because there was dried cheese on the walls from the time Vlad ended up over cooking the enchiladas and the cheese ended up popping and going everywhere. Guess he didn't clean it all like he had said. While cleaning out the fridge and cupboards, Danny also made a list of groceries to pick up Saturday when they went into town, throwing some of his own preferences on the list as well. One of the things Danny didn't expect while living with Vlad was that he was a bit of a health nut. Vlad didn't keep much junk food in his house, if any at all and to Danny, that was a sin of life. Danny always had had the appetite of a college student. He preferred snaking on junk food throughout the day, rather than cooking meals, but it was a bit of a pain to cook for only one person. 

Once he was finished cleaning the kitchen, Danny moved on to Vlad's room, entering the room he had only been in a handful of times. As they had grown closer together, Vlad had allowed Danny to enter his room, though it was usually only when Danny brought him food or was checking in on him. Vlad's room wasn't anything special, nothing on the walls except for a clock and a poster of the periodic table of elements, which was a bit ironic of Vlad to have since he knew them all by heart. There was a bed pushed to the left corner, the blankets white and bleak, which was expected of Vlad. There was also a desk on the opposite side of the room from the bed, different papers scattered across the oak surface with a small desk lamp sitting off to the corner. Though Danny wanted to be helpful and wouldn't mind organizing Vlad's desk, he knew it was in his best interest to not touch anything, because he didn't want to risk the chance of losing something important. There were a few more miscellaneous items in Vlad's room, a dresser and closet, a larger lamp, a radio and some other things, but nothing of interest. It seemed like Vlad just carried the necessities, not having any use for any extra furniture.

Danny placed the laundry hamper on the ground and started gathering the clothing from the ground first, throwing the dirty articles in the container. Danny had been correct in assuming that Vlad was a very tidy person, because there were only about ten articles of clothing on the ground. Next, Danny moved over to the desk, looking around for anything that he could wash. He ad found a few stray socks, but nothing that took up too much room. Knowing that he needed more clothing to at least wash one load of laundry, Danny decided to check Vlad's closet to see if there were any that needed washed that had been thrown at the bottom. Like many people though, Vlad had his own skeletons that he had wished to keep hidden. 

Opening the doors, Danny was amazed to see a whole pile of clothing on the floor. Danny sat up on his knees, picking up shirts and giving them a sniff, because yes, the sniff method was a valid way to determine if something needed washed or had just fallen off a hanger. Vlad had kept more than just clothing in his closet though, there were some textbooks and different lab equipment placed in there, though all of it was wrapped up to keep from breaking. Danny had made two piles while digging through the clothing, one for clean clothing that he planned on hanging back up and then there was a pile for the dirty ones that needed washed. As he got closer to the bottom of the pile, there were a few questionable things that Danny had found. Though Danny had expected to find condoms, lube and dirty magazines in any other boy's room, he did not expect for Vlad to have them, in his closet, hidden under a pile of clothing. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Danny refrained from looking at the magazines and set them aside, not wanting to see what Vlad was truly interested in, though he would find out soon enough. 

As he continued digging, Danny's hand brushed against something that felt a bit odd to the touch. He looked down and pulled out the perpetrator. Though he had never use one before, Danny was now holding a blindfold in his hand, a leather one at that. Danny felt his face heat up as he held the object in his hand, examining it further. The material looked to be real leather and didn't look cheap. He placed it down, curious as to why Vlad would have a leather blindfold, but he soon realized as he continue cleaning. Danny next pulled out a mouth gag, placing it off to the side in a hurry, not wanting to hold the object for too long in case Vlad had actually used it on someone. The half ghsot felt his breathing quicken as he kept digging deeper and deeper. Handcuffs, whips, and other items that Danny had no names for joined the blind fold and gag on the floor, the pile of equipment causing Danny's cheeks to flush. He gathered up a magazine he had placed on the floor and turned it over to see that it wasn't a regular porn magazine, but it instead was one for BDSM equipment. His eyes were wide as he skimmed through the pages, looking to see that some of the items shown were what Vlad had had buried in his closet. 

Unknown to him, Vlad had returned to the apartment, carrying a small package of cookies he had bought at the school cafe to give Danny to hopefully make his day better, but was confused when he couldn't find the boy. Usually if he was heading out, he would let the older male know in advance, just so that Vlad wouldn't be surprised to see him gone if he had by some chance came home during the day. Vlad hadn't only returned to deliver the cookies though, he had also forgotten his lab book and needed it to complete an experiment in his last class of the day. Vlad had an hour gap time between two of his classes, but usually used it to study a bit, but decided to come back to retrieve his book and give Danny the sweet food. 

Vlad shrugged his shoulders, deciding that it wasn't that big of an issue if Danny had went out without him knowing. Danny was an adult and didn't need to be treated like some teenager who couldn't be trusted. Walking towards his room, Vlad looked at the door with an eyebrow raised. His door had been slightly cracked open and he remembered shutting it tightly. The last thing Vlad needed was for Danny to rummage through his stuff. 

Pushing the door open, Vlad heard it creek open and he stepped inside, looking down to see Danny sitting on his floor. His face became red as he looked at the boy, a mixture between anger and embarasseent as he saw what Danny was holding. "I thought I made it clear that you were not to come inside my room, especially while I am not here, Daniel." 

Danny looked up, like a deer caught int he headlights of a speeding car. He had been so caught up in the magazine that he did not hear the door open, much less Vlad's footsteps. "I...I'm sorry." he said, his voice low as he put the book down beside all the other stuff. "I just figured that since we are dating that you wouldn't mind me coming in to collect your dirty laundry." 

"That doesn't look like laundry to me," Vlad complimented, walking towards the pile of equipment that Danny had laid out. "As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I did a good job in hiding it in case you were to try to go through my stuff." 

Frantic now, Danny was shaking his head. "No, I wasn't, I didn't mean to go through all your stuff. I was just, I saw that there was a pile of clothing and I wanted to go through it to see what was dirty and what wasn't." 

Vlad glanced up at the clock on his wall, knowing he needed to get back to his class so that he wouldn't be counted as late. "We will talk about this later Daniel, but for now I would like you to leave my room before you see anything else that I was trying to keep a secret." 

Danny stood up, knowing that it was best not to argue with Vlad when he was mad. He walked out of the room, leaving the basket of clothing in the middle of the room. As he left Vlad's room first, he waited by the door for Vlad to leave. 

Not much longer after, Vlad had left his room, holding a textbook in his hand. Vlad ignored Danny and walked to the table beside the couch, grabbing the bag of cookies to give to Danny. As he held the bag towards his boyfriend, the younger male looked up, his eyes sad and confused. He knew that Danny didn't like it when he grew quiet, because that meant something was wrong. Vlad sighed and took a deep breath in. He couldn't be mad at Danny, especially since he was the one keeping the secret, but a part of him was still upset that Danny had been going through his stuff, without him knowing. 

"Daniel," Vlad called, watching as the boy bit down on his bottom lip. "I will admit that I'm a bit irritated with the situation, but I'm in no way mad at you and I'm sorry I have to leave now, but I can't be late for my next class. I don't really need to go to my last class tonight, the professor opened it as a study session, so I'll just stop him and tell him a family matter came up so I can be home sooner so we can talk about what happened." 

"We don't need to talk about it, I can pretend that I saw nothing." 

"Now Daniel, we both know that we need to talk things through. Remember how I said we were both adults and can deal with our problems by talking them out? Well that's what we are going to do, so while I'm gone, please just relax, because you look uncomfortably tense right now." Vlad gave the cookies over to Danny and kissed the boy's cheek lightly, hoping the little physical contact would relax Danny. "I love you, I'll be back later tonight." 

It was barely a whisper but Danny told he loved Vlad back and watched as the older male left, his nerves sky rocketing as he thought about what was to come when Vlad came home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm still kinda late with the update, but it's here! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, thought it is kind of a short one! It is pushing the story a little bit further, so that's good! All spelling mistakes are my own as I don't really proof read, though I should. I hope you all are enjoying the story, so feel free to share your thoughts, complaints, or anything else you wish to say. I do need to disclaim once more, I am not really involved in BDSM, but I love the community, so this is the time for me to remind everyone, I don't always know what I'm talking about. If I do something wrong, please, please tell me and educate me in what I do wrong. Thank you all, can't wait to see you next time!


	11. Time for a Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Adult Situations found in this chapter, so like don't read it if you don't like it. It's hella gay, so I mean, you were warned.

When Vlad left, Danny had fell to the floor, his body trembling. True, Vlad had told Danny not to step into his room without permission, but that was months ago and Danny had thought because of the change in their relationship, he was now free to go into the room. Danny, using the wall as support, lifted himself from the floor, he needed to get out of the house. He concentrated and calmed his mind, two blue circles engulfing his body as he shifted forms, changing into his ghost half, his stronger half. 

Though Danny knew that he was still running away from his problems, he decided it would be for the best, at least for now. He turned transparent, his body feeling light as he jumped up, slowly drifting through the roof. As he made it outside, he looked around, taking in the winter sky. The night sky was growing dark, though it wasn't even five yet. The good thing about being in his ghost form is that he didn't feel the cold air biting at his skin, but he still felt the pain of Vlad confronting him. He wasn't mad at Vlad, on the contrary, he knew that Vlad was in the right. Danny should have stopped snooping when he saw the magazines, but no, he instead continued to keep digging. Danny let out a quick grunt before flinging himself forward, flying quickly through the night, his feet replaced with his ghost tail. For once he wanted to feel the cold, he wanted to be able to focus on something instead of the pain he felt in his heart. He knew Vlad had told him he loved him before he left, probably to keep Danny from worrying, but the words had caused him to feel worse. He had betrayed Vlad's trust. 

He continued to fly, floating above the campus, invisible to the eyes of everyone on the ground and that's how he's always preferred it. He didn't ever want to be the center of attention, it made him uncomfortable. Maybe it's because he was bullied so badly in high school that he grew up to be someone who wanted to blend in with the crowd, that way nobody would have a reason to pick on him. If he chose to stick out, it would just make him a target, though no matter how badly he tried to fit in, he would always be different. 

Danny felt his body grow tired, he knew he was pushing himself. He hadn't used his powers in so long, for such a long time that he knew he shouldn't be pushing himself. Flying around didn't help him figure anything out, but he did have to admit it was nice to feel the freedom, if only for a little bit. Glancing around, he looked to see where he had flown to, seeing that his body had carried him to the park to where he shared his first kiss with Vlad. Danny smiled at the memory, happy that it had happened, because it had caused their relationship to move onto something greater... something he could have destroyed. Shaking his head of the bad thoughts, Danny flew back towards the campus, hoping Johnathan was home. 

As he flew closer to Johnathan's home, he found a secluded area to transform back into his human form, feeling the bitter air biting at his skin. He curled his arms around himself and started walking to the other boy's dorm room. His feet crunched in the snow, thankfully he had been wearing shoes when he had left Vlad's. Snow had fallen over the past few days, leaving the earth covered in the crystalized water droplets. 

Johnathan was quick to answer the door when Danny knocked, ushering the boy in with words of panic. "Why are you outside in the cold without at least a jacket on?" He asked, quickly running off to get the boy a blanket while Danny went over to sit on the couch. 

Danny smiled, happy to have someone like Johnathan as a friend. While living with Vlad and dealing with his emotions for the older man, Johnathan had been supporting him. It was a bit nerve racking when Danny admitted his attraction to Vlad to Johnathan, but the other male had been nothing but supportive, saying that all he wanted was to see Danny happy. "Vlad and I, we had a fight," Danny admitted, happily taking the soft blanket from Johnathan's hands. "He's not even home at the moment, but I couldn't stand being in his home knowing he's mad at me."

Sitting down beside Danny, Johnathan placed his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped. "What exactly did you two fight about? From what I've seen when you and Vlad are interacting, he doesn't seem to get mad or even a bit annoyed at anything you do." 

"I may have invaded his privacy a bit. I planned on doing the laundry for him today and as I was rummaging around his room for clothing to clean, he came home and got upset that I was in his room without his permission. He didn't yell at me or anything, he just told me that he was disappointed that I would go through his stuff so easily and I know him. He's the type of person who bottles up his anger and then just releases it and what if I ruined everything for us? What if he doesn't trust me anymore or maybe he can't be with me because I didn't respect his privacy." 

The young half ghost was now once again crying, his mind thinking of the worst possibilities that were to come once he talked everything out with Vlad. He burried his face into his hands, trying to hide his tears from Johnathan. It seemed like he had been only showing his weak side to the older male and knew it was a bit unfair to be dumping all of his problems on the other man, especially with how close their final exams for the semester were. 

Johnathan leaned back on the couch, stretching his body as he took a moment to think about the situation. He had a feeling Danny didn't know Vlad as well as he thought he did, because Vlad seemed to cherish Danny and with any relationship, situations such as these needed to be talked out to create boundaries between couples. A soft sigh escaped through Johnathan's lips as he looked at Danny. "You know I'm always completely honest with you and just because you are upset, doesn't mean I'm going to act any differently. I completely understand why you are upset, nobody wants their significant other to be upset with them, but Danny, you might be overreacting a bit. From what you've told me, Vlad doesn't seem like he wants to break off the relationship or anything, it just seems like he wants to create some sort of boundaries that allows him to have some privacy. I'm not too sure how many relationships you've had, but this is completely normal. Everyone has their secrets and sometimes they don't want to share them with others."

"You don't think he wants to break up with me?" Danny asked, wiping his face. 

"I don't think he does personally, he probably just wants to discuss why he wants to have privacy. He seems like a very secretive dude who likes seclusion. Maybe he just isn't ready to share too much of his personal life with you, he might need some time before he can truly open himself up. You guys have only been together for what, a month, maybe a month and a half? You guys are still in the early stage of your relationship and you both need some time to open up to each other." 

Danny nodded his head, taking in what Johnathan had said. Vlad hadn't said anything about them breaking up, so why was he so intent on the idea that their relationship would end? He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, trying to get rid of any left over tears. He knew his face was probably red from all the crying he did, not to mention he had went outside without any shield from the cold air. "Now that you've talked some sense in to me, I do feel a bit silly for the way I acted. Maybe because of the fact I haven't had much luck with love before, I overreacted." 

"Good to see you are thinking a bit more clearly now. Just know that it's okay to be nervous in a new relationship and it's okay to be worried about trivial things, but you can't let those emotions keep you from fixing the problems. You are entitled to your emotions, but you can't allow them to control you. Now, enough with the serious talking, I'm hungry and have some frozen pizzas in my freezer that sound really good right now." 

"I wouldn't mind getting some food in me as well. I think I cried so much that my breakfast just disappeared from my stomach." 

Johnathan got up from the couch and headed to his kitchen so that he could cook two frozen pizzas. When he returned to the living room after putting the food in the oven, he saw Danny laying down on the couch, his eyes closed and his breathing steady. He smiled and leaned down, running his fingers through the boy's hair. He was a good kid and he hated knowing the fact that he was so tuckered out was because he had been crying. Thankfully, there was another smaller couch in the living room, which Johnathan sat in, grabbing one of his textbooks in hope of studying a bit before the food was done. 

~~~~~  
Hours had passed and Johnathan had just allowed Danny to sleep on the couch. His roommate, Mat, had come home from his classes, but when he saw the younger boy sleeping on the couch he just nodded his head towards Johnathan and headed off to his room. Mat was a quit person, didn't really enjoy partying or even warming up to people, but when he first was introduced to Danny, they seemed to hit it off well. It could have also helped that Danny had cooked them all a homemade meal along with dessert while Vlad was spending the night in the science room. The way to a man's heart is truly through his stomach. 

A knock sounded on his door, causing the napping boy to turn away from the noise. Johnathan set his notes down and stood up, heading to the door to answer it. He was mildly surprised to see Vlad standing on the other side, the taller male tapping his foot impatiently. Johnathan stepped outside, closing the door behind him as he looked at Vlad, meeting the other man's eyes. 

"I think my roommate has caused you some trouble, I've come to retrieve him," Vlad said, smiling softly. 

According to the rumors spread around by everyone on campus, Vlad was a cold man who couldn't be friendly with anyone except the few within his social group. After dinning with Vlad and Danny though, Johnathan had come to realize that the gossip was wrong and in all reality, Vlad was just a quit person. He was friendly enough though and had even offered to help aid Johnathan with any of his classes. 

"Yeah, he came here crying, something about you breaking up with him. I talked to him a bit though and he seems to be more relaxed and thinking clearer. He's sleeping on my couch." 

Vlad made a move towards the door, but Johnathan held his hand out, blocking his way. 

"Oh no, I think you've read enough books to know what time it is. I have to give you the speech about hurting my friend and how I'll come hunt you down if you make him cry again. Honestly, gay couples are just like straight couples, I don't see what the big deal is," Johnathan joked, stepping aside. "Though I won't be so nice if you actually hurt him and I'm not talking about this misunderstanding bullshit, don't hurt him Vlad."

"I don't know what kind of monster you take me for, but I had no intention of making him cry, but like with every couple, there are some things we need to talk about so that we can better understand each other. I didn't know that Daniel would be so emotional after I told him we needed to talk about what happened when I finished my classes for the day. I don't like seeing him upset and knowing that I'm the reason for it, is a bit upsetting," Vlad explained, narrowing his eyes at Johnathan. He understood that the other person was a close friend of Daniel's, but he didn't enjoy having others know about his personal life, it just seemed to lead to more rumors being spread around the campus about him.

Johnathan pushed open the door and let Vlad inside. "I know you're not the bad guy, you never have been, but you're more mature than he is. He's still a kid Vlad and he's never had a relationship with someone who has your personality and before you take that as an insult, it was actually a compliment. He's never dated someone who wants to actually keep the relationship strong instead of letting it dwindle down to nothing. He's never had someone who's wanted him as seriously as you do." 

"And I've never had someone I've wanted to keep by my side. Just because you know him, please don't assume you know me. Daniel's the first of my partners I've cared so deeply for. I've never cared if I hurt those before him, but I want to cherish him and I want to give him the world." 

"Just make sure he knows that," Johnathan stated, watching as Vlad walked over to Danny's sleeping form. 

Vlad reached out, grabbing Danny's shoulders as he softly shook the boy, hoping that he would be easier to wake up than he was in the mornings. Danny stirred a bit and turned towards Vlad, his eyes going wide as he stared at him. 

"Afternoon Little Badger, I've come to pick you up so we can go home together," Vlad softly explained, wrapping his arms around the boy. 

Danny reached out and held on tightly to Vlad, softly smiling. He was happy to see the older man, no matter how much he detested of the conversation that was soon to come. 

~~~~  
Once they arrived back home, Vlad had placed the teapot on the stove, preparing some tea for both him and Danny. He knew that during their discussion, they both needed to be relaxed and open with each other, because without trust the relationship could easily crumble away and both wuld be left heartbroken. As the whistle chimed as the water was properly heated, Vlad poured the steaming liquid into two porcelain cups, his own being just a simple black color and Danny's being a navy blue, planets and stars decorating the outside, a replica of space. Danny had found the mug while they were out shopping and Vlad, having no emotional attachment to money, ended up buying the mug without the younger boy's knowledge and gave it to him as a reward for keeping the house clean.

Vlad entered the living room, seeing Danny's back pressed against the couch, his demenor stiff and scared. It seemed as if the boy was hoping to disappear into the cushions of the couch, wanting to find any way from avoiding what needed to be said. Vlad placed the cups on two coasters, the tea packets slowly seeping into the water, turning the once clear liquid into a dark, murky brown. Though Vlad wanted to sit beside Danny, he knew that it would only stress out the boy more, so he chose to sit in his chair, taking a small sip of his tea as he watched Danny reach for his mug. 

"Daniel," Vlad spoke softly, placing the mug back on his coaster. He watched the boy whip his head up, worried that the speed had caused some sort of damage or whiplash. "Please, can you relax a bit? I know you hate confronting problems, but it needs to be addressed and if we allow ourselves to ignore the problem, it will continue to grow into one that can't be fixed." 

"I'm trying Vlad," Danny admitted, staring down at the dark liquid in his mug. "You know how I am about talking about feelings, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. Usually I would have let the subject die and I wouldn't have said anything else, but you won't let it go." 

Vlad placed his palm on his face, dragging it down in a bit of annoyance, but he needed to be patient for Danny, he couldn't back him into a corner. "Because I don't want our relationship to be on edge just because we couldn't be honest with each other." 

"How can you preach about being honest when you had such a big secret hidden from me? Those magazines, the chains, whips? I don't even have a name for half of the equipment I saw and you want to lecture me about being honest?"

"Danny," Vlad said, his voice taking a tone of authority, causing the younger boy to stop his rant, "I understand that this is all new to you, especially to someone as inexperienced as you may find it a bit scary, but this is why I didn't tell you now. I didn't want you to feel scared or nervous while we were still in our early stages of dating. I wasn't going to keep my.... hobbies a secret forever, but just until I thought you would be comfortable knowing about it. I knew you would react negatively if you found out too soon, so I wanted to wait a bit longer."

"But I don't even know what your 'hobbies' as you call them are. Some of those looked like torture devices," Danny said. He put his cup down on the table, scared that he would spill the tea if he continued to hold it in his hands.

Vlad sighed and rubbed his temples, unsure on how to tell Danny about what he saw, but he soon figured that trying to dance around the truth wouldn't do either of them any good. "The things you found in my closet were my own little collection of BDSM equipment I've allowed myself to indulge in. I don't have the most innocent lifestyle when it comes to my partners, but you should be aware that I wouldn't force anyone into anything, no matter what I myself prefer. Usually the people I have dated have had similar interests to me, but as I've said earlier, they were nothing serious and the relationship didn't last long at all, you are the first one I've wanted to take things slow with and I didn't want to scare you away with my own personal desires, because I treasure you too much. Daniel, before I continue, I need to know if you trust me enough to know that what I'm about to say isn't something I'm asking you to partake in, because I would never, ever push you into something you have no experience in." 

"Vlad, of course I trust you. You may think I am someone who hasn't had much experience in dating and you might be right, but I know that what I'm feeling for you isn't something weak enough to be destroyed just by a slight disagreement. Please, can you be honest with me and tell me about what I found in your room?" 

Taking a deep breath in, Vlad started explaining everything to Danny, his voice a low whisper, worried that the walls had ears and someone else would find out about his secret kinks. "I like being in control Daniel, it's something I get off to and it just has always been that way. It may be to the fact that I have a big ego and think of myself as better than others or it could just be because I like to see the one get off because of something I've prepared, it just is what it is. I also find it pleasurable to take away all means of movement from my partners, I think there's something beautiful in having someone give their everything to me. Their ability to move, see, speak, or even have an orgasm, it just shows how much they trust me and I think it shows how strong our relationship truly is, because the key to a healthy BDSM relationship is trust and communication. I also like inflicting pain, but not in a permanent manner, something that is not only painful but there is pleasure mixed it. When I see the adrenaline kick in and they just tremble against my touch, it just ignites something in me and I want to give them the best feeling that I possibly can. I pride myself in it and I want them to enjoy being under my control as I enjoy controlling them. What you found, there how I accomplish it. Some of the items are to cause a bit of discomfort and others are to take away their sense of movement, speaking, seeing, even hearing." 

Danny was a bit surprised, but then again he knew deep down that Vlad enjoyed being in control, it even showed in their everyday lives when they weren't engaging in any sexual behaviour. The way Vlad would make sure Danny ate a healthy amount and got enough exercise. They way the older man would reward Danny with a treat whenever he did extra cleaning, it honestly wasn't surprising to know that he was still like that in bed. The thought of having those items used on him still frightened him a bit, especially since it was something that he wasn't accustomed to. "So are you saying you want to control me?" Danny asked, twiddling with his hands, needing some form of distraction. 

"Daniel, it's not just about me controlling you, you have as much control over me as I would have over you. If we were to ever engage in the lifestyle, you have the right to tell me to stop, to tell me if I am pushing you too far or if I acted unfairly. I wouldn't ever want to take away your freedom to live and while some people are constantly living a BDSM lifestyle, I wouldn't want that. I want you to have the freedom to go out and do as you like, though I do appreciate it if you let me know, but I would never try to control every aspect of your life. You are in charge as much as I am and if you ever wanted to stop, I would comply and obey your demand. It's not only about my pleasure, but yours as well, probably yours more so than mine. As much as I would love for you to agree to my wishes, I'm not saying we ever have to even bring it into our lives. I'm okay with being as vanilla as I need to be as long as I can be with you, because I care about you too much to push you away." 

The boy moved down the couch, closer to Vlad who was still sitting down. He reached his hand out, entwining his fingers with the older man's, offering him a smile. "While I'm not too sure how comfortable I would be jumping into the lifestyle now, I appreciate you telling me about it. I'm sorry I was disrespectful and stuck my nose where it didn't need to be. I know you would have told me about it sooner or later and I appreciate you being honest with me now. Can I just ask that you allow time to think about everything? I'm not saying I wouldn't be up for trying it out, but maybe in the future when our relationship isn't so new?"

Vlad smiled and squeezed Danny's hand, "Of course Daniel, thank you for listening to what I had to say though and for not freaking out on me. If I'm being honest,I expected the worst out of having this conversation, like you possibly freaking out and telling me you wanted to break things off."

"You really are a fruitloop. Everyone has their own things they like and while I sometimes might not agree with it, it would be wrong of me to completely   
dismiss their interests."

"Wow, when did you become so mature and grown up?" Vlad teased, pulling Danny from the couch and instead to sit with him in his armchair. 

Danny was laughing now, wrapping his arms around Vlad's neck to hug the taller man. "I've always been mature, but it's hidden deep down in my soul, you just tend to bring out the best parts in me. So am I still not allowed to enter your room or...." Danny asked, trailing off to let Vlad answer.

"The only reason I didn't want you in my room without permission is because I was scared of you finding everything, but I guess that I don't need to worry about that anymore, so I don't see why not. Just promise me you won't go snooping in my closet anymore.If you also wouldn't have a problem with it, I wouldn't mind you sleeping with me at night either. Of course I mean that in the most innocent way possible, unless you know, you'd be up for more." 

A red blush covered Danny's face as he hid his face in the crook of Vlad's neck, hiding from him. "I would love to sleep in your bed, it's probably more comfortable than the couch, but I'm honestly not too sure I'm completely ready to go all the way with you Vlad. You, umm, you would be my first in that department." 

Vlad grabbed Danny's shoulders, pushing the boy to stare into his eyes to see if he was lying. "Daniel, are you telling me you've never slept with anyone before?"

"It's not that I haven't had the chance or wanted to!" Danny answered, looking off at the white wall. "I just haven't really found someone that I've wanted to do it with. I've only dated two girls and at the time I felt too young and unprepared to go all the way with them. Sam, I know she hinted at it, but the most we did was heavy groping and when I got older, we weren't together any longer and I just haven't found anybody since." 

"Well then I'll be sure not to rush you into doing anything you don't want to do, just know that if I push you too far, I'll stop once you tell me to. Was last night too much for you or was it okay?" Vlad asked, wanting to make sure that he didn't force himself upon Daniel. He knows that everyone's judgment can be a bit clouded when they are feeling horny, so Danny could have just been going along with it for the time being, but once their minds were cleared, he could have regretted it. 

The younger male leaned forward, pushing his lips against Vlad's. When he pulled away, he was smiling. "Are you kidding me? That felt great and I wouldn't be against doing it again, but at sometime I would love to return the favor to you, though I probably won't be as skilled as you." 

The teasing was getting to Vlad, making his pants feel as if they were getting too tight. "Daniel, you better stop saying things that make me want to push you down. We should still be talking about what happened earlier this morning." 

"What's stopping you?" Danny whispered, pressing his lips closer to Vlad's neck, kissing the skin lightly.

Having enough, Vlad wrapped his arms around Danny's butt, standing up from the chair with his lips attacking the other boy's neck, hearing a slight gasp leave Danny's mouth only encouraged Vlad. He carried the boy to his bedroom, turning the know and kicking the door lightly. His room was still covered in loose articles of clothing, so what would the problem in adding more to the pile? Vlad placed his knee on his bed, lowering Danny onto the soft mattress as he hovered above him, leaning down to capture the boy's lips in another kiss. "Daniel, at any moment tell me to stop if you feel uncomfortable." 

Danny, feeling breathless could only nod his head. He felt Vlad grab the bottom of his shirt and he held his hands up as Vlad removed the piece of clothing, throwing it on the floor, where it joined the other disregarded clothing. He leaned his head up as he felt Vlad planting tiny kisses on his neck, feeling the older male bite at some spots, sucking on the skin till he decided that it was enough. While Danny had to admit he never once thought he would be doing this with another male and while it shouldn't feel as good as it did, he felt nothing but bliss while Vlad ravished him. 

Vlad grabbed at his own shirt, pulling it off his body, showing off his toned body, which would have surprised the younger male if he hadn't had assumed that Vlad was a bit of a health freak and the boy jogged whenever he had the chance. Vlad smiled and leaned down, pressing his bare torso against Danny's. He lowered his hips down, his growing erection rubbing against Danny's thigh. 

Feeling as if he was letting Vlad take over too much, though Vlad himself wasn't complaining, Danny reached between their bodies and rubbed at Vlad through his jeans, feeling the older man tense under him as he continued to rub. Feeling a bit more daring, Danny unbuttoned Vlad's jeans, allowing him to pull them off himself. Now that his jeans were off, Danny got a better idea of Vlad's size, seeing the outline of it straining against the male's tight briefs. While Danny was never ashamed of his own size, he was feeling a bit nervous seeing that Vlad's cock was longer and thicker than his own. 

"Little Badger, you don't have to push yourself if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to get me off, I can do it myself once you finish," Vlad offered, seeing the boy's mouth gaping open. 

Danny shook his head, "It's not that I'm scared, okay I might be a little scared, but I wasn't expecting you to be so big. You seem to have everything, the looks, the brains, the size, now you just need a smaller ego." 

Vlad laughed and kissed Danny's lips, stopping the boy from talking. "Hey, I need a big ego to match my big dick. Now, you are too overdressed for me, we need to get you out of those pants." Vlad held himself up, his hands flat on the bed on each side of Danny's head, almost like he was doing a push-up as he watched Danny unbutton his own pants. As the boy pushed the material down his hips, he squirmed his hips lightly, making Vlad lick his lips hungrily. 

Once they were both in only their underwear, Vlad reached down and traced the outline of Danny's cock, causing the boy to moan out quietly, pushing his face against the side of the mattress. Accepting the encouragement, Vlad pushed the soft fabric down, freeing Danny's cock from it's confinement. He reached down, softly wrapping his palm against the boy's sensitive, giving it a small stroke. Vlad leaned up, reaching forward to open the drawer beside his bedside, pulling out a bottle of lube. 

"Wow, I guess even a guy like you needs to get himself off at some time," Danny teased, smiling up at Vlad. 

"Hush, remember the one who's about to get you off. It's rude to tease the man about to stroke your dick," Vlad explained, lightly slapping Danny's thigh. Not hard enough to leave a mark, but it definitely did sting and caused the boy to let out a louder moan, his back slightly arching off the bed. Vlad opened the bottle with his teeth, squeezing some of the lube into his hand, rubbing it between his fingers to get it all around. He reached back down and grabbed Danny's cock again, pulling up, earning a loud moan from Danny. "God, the noises you make are almost enough to get me off straight away." 

Danny, remember that Vlad still had his boxers on reached up, his breathing rapid as Vlad continued stroking him. He pulled the briefs down, allowing them to pool around Vlad's knees as he saw the other man's cock in it's full glory. He was right to assume that Vlad was thicker and longer than himself, the head already dripping precum. Danny grabbed the bottle of lube that Vlad had previously used and put some in his own hand, following Vlad's lead as he wrapped his fingers around the staff, causing the older man to curse lightly. Though it was his first time touching another man's dick, it didn't feel disgusting at all, in fact he was glad to see that Vlad was so responsive to his actions. 

Vlad leaned his head down, his mouth next to Danny's ear as he softly whispered encouraging words to the younger boy, telling him how good it felt and how he wanted to cum all over the boy's body. Though Danny didn't think he would be so turned on so much from hearing such filthy words leave someone's mouth, he was feeling a fire build up in the pit of his stomach. 

They both continued their actions, rubbing each other at different speeds. Danny knew he would be the one to cum first, especially when he felt Vlad tighten his grip, causing the boy to choke on any words he wanted to say. 

"Vlad, I'm so close," he murmured, feeling his body tense as he let go, his cum covering Vlad's fingers as the man continued to rub, pulling away when Danny whined from oversensitivity. 

Danny continued his hand motions though, continuing to pump Vlad's cock. He leaned up as Vlad leaned down, their lips meeting in a kiss that was sloppy, but at the time was perfect. Vlad wasn't as focal as Danny was, but his facial expressions showed when he was enjoying a certain action. Danny swiped his thumb against the slit, seeing Vlad still as his cock pulsed, his own cum covering Danny's finger, some of it dropping onto the boy's stomach. 

Vlad smiled and collapsed on top of Danny, feeling relief. He usually had better stamina, but he hadn't had much time to himself with all the work he had to do in preparations of completing the ghost portal. He pampered Danny's face with kisses though, reaching over his bed to pull off some random shirt from the ground the wipe the lube and cum from his body and Danny's, cleaning them both up, though Danny did swat his hand away as Vlad cleaned his dick off. 

"So, how was it?" Danny questioned, curling under the blankets as Vlad joined him. 

"It was the best," Vlad answered truthfully, wrapping his arms around Danny's body, loving having the boy's body next to his. Usually Vlad would kick out his partners out of his bed and offer them a taxi home, he didn't usually like sharing his personal life with his sex friends, but that wasn't who Danny was. Danny was his boyfriend and he wanted nothing more than to sleep with the boy in his arms. "It feels so much better when you love your partner. Thank you for trusting me Daniel." 

"No problem Fruitloop," Danny whispered, pushing his head under Vlad's chin. He yawned, the last thing he felt was Vlad softly kiss the top of his head before wishing him sweet dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so it is the first of the month and you all know what that means! Yes, an update! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope that my writing of a sexual situation was okay, as someone who is ace, I'm not too sure if it's any good, but I hope if nothing it is satisfactory. Please feel free to share your theories and or questions with me! Once again, this isn't proof read or anything, so I hope it isn't too bad with spelling and grammar, have a good day guys! Also, on a side note, I've recently got into BTS, so I was wondering if anyone would be interested in short little fluff stories of the BTS. I don't know, it might be a bit weird to write fanfiction about real people, but fluff should be fine????


	12. Exposing the Truth

Danny woke up the next morning, a strong arm wrapped around his back and his stomach pressing into the side of someone else's. He blinked his eyes open, looking up to see that Vlad was still sleeping, his mouth slightly gapping open as he breathed out softly. Danny, feeling a bit bold, leaned up, hovering his face above Vlad's as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to older man's lips. 

Stirring in his sleep, Vlad turned his head away, trying to ignore whoever was disturbing his sleep. He opened his eyes, squinting a bit as he tried to pull himself from the blissful sleep. When he saw Danny laying down next to him, he smiled. "Hello Little Badger, it's surprising to see that you woke up before me. Do you know what time it is?" 

Danny turned around to look at the alarm clock that was on the nightstand beside Vlad's bed. The red lights were bright to look at after Danny's were so used to the darkness of the room. He closed his eyes slightly, not wanting to directly look at the bright numbers. He turned back towards Vlad, wrapping his own arms around the man, hugging him tightly. "Nine-thirty. It's a good thing I woke up before the alarm clock, I have been known to throw them across the room when they go off." 

Vlad laughed lightly, breathing out deeply as he pulled Danny closer. He started pampering the boy's face in light, butterfly kisses, making the smaller boy smile. "Gosh, what I wouldn't give to wake up to this everyday. I don't think I've slept that well in awhile, not to be cheesy or anything, but I feel at ease whenever I'm with you." 

Coyly smiling, Danny looked up at Vlad, "Are you sure the reason you slept so well isn't because of the amazing handjob you received from your glorious boyfriend?"

"That could be another factor to why I slept so well, yes, but I was thinking I could be sweet to my boyfriend and try to make him feel special. Although I can say that I don't really want to get up, but I feel gross from last night and I need to meet up with Maddie and Jack to discuss the ghost portal we are developing." 

"How has the research been coming along? Have you guys got a prototype developed yet?"

If Danny was to make a guess from the way Vlad sighed, he would assume that things weren't going too well for the group of young scientists. "We have some blue prints for what we want to make and the different components for what we need as well. It's not a simple concept at all to connect two dimensions especially one that we aren't positive exists. For all we know, ghosts don't even have another realm in which they live in, they could just live on our Earth at all times. Right now we are trying to use the ecto-goo you provided as a way to connect the Earth to the Ghost Zone. Though it seems that the goo is dormant, we just need to find a way to activate it s that it can connect the two dimensions." 

"Vlad, I'm going to pretend that I know what you are talking about and nod my head in agreement, but in all honesty, maybe you are thinking about it too hard? Maybe there's a possibility to expand the goo I gave you and to use it as the opening and power source. Then again, I can't say that I know much about how to help you three. Though my parents may specialize in ghosts as well, I can't say I know everything." 

Vlad let out a soft hum, something he did when he was usually deep in thought or reading to himself. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try, though it would still require us to change the goo from the dormant state, which we still aren't too sure on how to do it yet. We were talking about building a prototype within the next month, seeing as we only have three more months until our finals are due. While we've been planning this portal since the beginning of the year, we haven't exactly had the resources to begin the more in depth part of our research. Now though, we need to hurry up and finish it, so we can test it out a bit before presenting it."

"Just promise you'll be careful while working through everything, okay?" 

"I promise my Little Badger, now I really do need to get up so I can shower. Would you mind gathering up the dirty blankets to wash them today?" 

Danny nodded his head, sitting up in the bed so that Vlad wouldn't have to struggle to get up. Danny did look away when Vlad moved across him to get off the bed, his face red as he looked down Vlad's naked body. The innocent actions caused the older man to laugh as he picked out his clothes for the day and headed out of his room and across the hall to the bathroom. 

Once he was alone in the room, Danny got up from the bed, stretching his limbs as he walked over to Vlad's closet. He pulled out a pair of the other male's sweatpants, wanting to shower as well before he got dressed for the day. He walked around the room, collecting the discarded clothing from last night and the blankets from Vlad's bed before putting them in a laundry basket. Though he didn't plan on doing the laundry today, he would need to now after the events from last night. When he was done gathering up all the dirty clothes, he headed towards the kitchen, cleaning off his hands and face with the kitchen sink before starting breakfast. He decided that today he should treat himself and made pancakes, of course adding chocolate chips to his own. 

A few moments passed when Danny heard the shower water stop running, Vlad walking out, fully dressed in his clothing for the day. He glanced over Danny, loving it whenever the boy wore some of his clothing. Though Danny wasn't much smaller than Vlad, he was shorter and didn't have legs as long as his, so the ends of the sweatpants were gathered up around the boy's, it was a bit endearing to witness. "I sometimes think that you pull off my clothing better than I do," Vlad mumbled, walking over to his boyfriend. "Pancakes today?" 

"Yeah, it's something easy to make and I can add chocolate chips to mine to give them the sweet taste without ruining the batter. By the way, your coffee is sitting on the counter. It shouldn't be too cold, I made it as soon as I heard you shut off the water," Danny explained, pointing with the spatula to the steaming porcelain mug on the counter top. "Just the way you like it too, black, like your soul." 

Faking offense, Vlad held his hand to his heart and looked towards Danny. "Daniel, I have never heard that before." He grabbed the mug and held the handle with one hand before taking a sip, walking to the table to sit down to wait for the meal. "When I get home today, I'll cook dinner. I feel like I've been making you do too much lately and I feel like I might be treating you a bit unfairly." 

"I thought you were looking for someone who did all the housework though, isn't that what a submissive does?" Danny asked. The younger boy wasn't trying to come off as rude, but he was genuinely curious as to how Vlad's lifestyle worked. He honestly thought Vlad just wanted someone to boss around. 

Vlad choked on his coffee, looking up at Danny with wide eyes. He was not expecting to talk about THAT today, but he assumed that Danny was still trying to wrap his mind around the whole ordeal. "No Daniel, I don't want someone I can just put all the house work on or the cooking. It's mainly a bedroom type scenario for me, with a few everyday rules put in there as well." 

"Can you elaborate on that?" Danny asked, dumbing a generous amount of syrup on his stack of pancakes. 

"Well for one thing, I don't want to force my sub to do all the housework and cooking, that's a bit ridiculous of me to expect them to take care of me as if I am incapable of doing the work myself, though I do admit I tend to let you do a majority of the cleaning while I am attending my classes. But to some people they have a very strict everyday dom and sub relationship, the dom going off to work to make money while the sub cleans, cooks, and takes care of the kids if they have any. I personally don't see the appeal, but that's just me. I do like establishing rules though, ones that we both follow with consequences on both of our sides." 

Danny nodded his head, letting Vlad know that he was still following what Vlad said. Honestly, he was a bit surprised to know that if, IF, he were to engage in the act with Vlad, he wouldn't have to be the perfect house spouse and do everything while Vlad more or less did nothing. 

"For example, I always like to make sure my partner gets adequate sleep and eats properly, something I force upon myself as well, no matter how caught up I am with my work. Though I say I like my partners to follow my rules, I haven't had anyone who has intrigued me enough to have a long, committed relationship with. Those are only a few examples though and I don't really think you are to know about the consequences, seeing as I don't want to scare you," Vlad stated, taking a bite of his own food and washing it down with his coffee. "But simply put, no, I don't want someone who follows my every word. As I told you last night, I like your free spirited personality, it differs from my own conservative one and I find it fascinating." 

"I guess I still have a lot to learn about it, but just know that I'm not entirely... against it. I've noticed that when we get more physically involved, you tend to become a bit more aggressive, not in the sense that you are trying to hurt me, but you are very straight forward and you do talk... a lot."

Vlad smiled, that cocky smile of his that would make the girl's hearts flutter if they weren't so busy avoiding him. "I know the first time I tried it out I was seeing how you reacted to it and you seemed to enjoy the dirty talk, so I continued to do it. My own pleasure falls on yours, so if you don't enjoy something, I won't do it. I for one love talking dirty to my partner and I enjoy the fact that you do as well."

Danny stuffed his mouth with more food, just getting embarrassed by the conversation. He didn't really think it was something to talk about at the table, but seeing as they were the only two within the room, it didn't honestly matter. "Alright, alright, I understand, now just eat your food." 

~~~~

"Clockwork, how much longer?" A deep voice questioned, walking inside Clockwork's tower. 

In his elderly form, Clockwork greeted his guest, escorting him to the monitors of screens, looking back to young Danny in the past. "Now, I always thought of you as someone who was patient, but right now you seem to be proving my theories wrong. I told you, we don't have much longer before he comes back, but I need you to understand that time is a confusing concept, but I can promise you that you don't have to wait longer than two months."

"You told me two months last time!" the voice cried out, struggling to hold in it's desperation. "I have waited for so long already. Clockwork, you can't begin to imagine what it is like to wait what seems an eternity." 

Clock worked swiftly turned back into a child, looking up at the intruder with a bored expression. "As I recall, I never told you anything last tiem, you made the assumption yourself, so that problem is not my own, but yours instead. You don't seem to have a clear understanding of how time works when you connect the past to the present, but I promise that young Danny will be home soon. I wouldn't want to keep him separated from his family much longer. His sister informed me that his parents plan on hunting me with something called the "Fenton Vaccum" if I don't have him home soon. Gosh, humans seem so impatient nowadays, but I guess it may have something to do with that fact that their time is limited, while ours seems to be limitless." 

A heavy sigh escaped the male's lips, his annoyance clearly written on his face. "To you, time may seem like something you have an infinite amount of, but to Daniel in I, our time will come one day. We both will cease to exist from this world and our tangible bodies will be no more." 

"Well at least take comfort in knowing that I know all before it happens and I can inform you that though you feel like you are waiting forever, forever can't compare to the time you will have him once he completes his mission." 

"Was that you trying to comfort me? I've never known you to be one to care about others." 

Clockwork turned to the screen, seeing Danny putting his coat on before shifting into his ghost form, the coat disappearing on the boy's other half. "You seem to forget, I have seen everything before it happened. You may think we are in the present, but I can promise you that there is no concept of present to me, I've lived through it all. Your present is my past as well as your future." 

"I now remember why I never liked dealing with you, you always end up making me leave with more question than I originally had." 

"Maybe it's time you've left for today, but I can promise you that we will see each other again." 

"Until next time, Clockwork," the voice called back, his cape floating through the air as he turned his back to leave.

Clockwork smiled, finding it a bit endearing to see the man so emotionally attached to someone. Not many people got to see his vulnerable side, but Clockwork wasn't one to hang around others, so there was no harm in him being emotional. Clockwork turned back to his monitors, watching Danny leave the building he shared with young Vlad, his ghost form floating off the ground, his body invisible to the other students.   
~~~~

Danny floated up, stopping high enough to see the campus buildings, hoping to find the science building. He didn't know why the ecto-goo had grown dormant but he figured that maybe if he could interact with it, he would be able to get it working again. Anything to help Vlad, though he knew the longer Vlad took, the longer he could stay with him in the past, but time wasn't on his side this time. As much as he had come to love Vlad and cherish him, he knew that he didn't belong in the past, he needed to go back to his own life time, even if that meant leaving the older male alone. 

Once he spotted the science building, he quickly took off, shooting through the sky, letting his mind wander. 

What would happen to Vlad once he left? Would he try to go after his mother again once Vlad was gone? It would explain why he was still so obsessed with her when he got older, but at the same time, Vlad now didn't seem to care for her in a romantic way anymore, so what changed? Would Vlad from the future recognize that Danny was HIS Daniel from the past? How was he even supposed to face Vlad in the future now that he knew that they were together in his time line. 

"I know everything that will ever happen, just go with your instincts Danny," Danny repeated to himself, remembering that Clockwork had told him just to do whatever feels right, he alread knew what the future would hold and hopefully it wasn't completely terrible. 

Danny hovered above the science buildings roof, he blinked once his eyes looking through the ceiling, trying to locate what room Vlad was currently in with his parents. Spotting it, he shifted through the ceiling, lowering himself into the room. Vlad was currently looking at the chalk board, numbers that Danny couldn't follow filling the space as the man started recalculating their results.

"Vladdie, we still aren't getting anything useful from this goo, are you sure it just didn't die out?" Jack asked, holding the glass vile, haphazardly waving it in the air as he let out a loud sigh. 

Vlad stalked over to Jack, pulling the vile from the larger man's hands as he set it back in a holder. "Yes, it just needs something it can react to. Our only problem is finding what it reacts to, I can't really imagine what else we can try. We've tried electric, fire, and ice, but nothing seems to be working. We won't be able to find anything either if you break the vile and it gets everywhere," he stated giving the man a stern look. 

"We've been trying for days to get it working though, I can't think of what else we can do to get it working. Maybe it isn't able to work within our realm," Maddie added, walking over to Jack and wrapping her arm around his shoulders in a comforting way. She knew that Vlad was right for scolding the man for treating the goo how he did, but she knew that Jack hated getting yelled at, though half the time he brushed it off. 

"That's impossible, it worked when Daniel held it in his hands. I saw it glow brightly when he handed it off to me and when I kept it here it was still glowing. I don't know what made it become unresponsive, but we need to get to glow again or it's useless," Vlad explained, walking over to the board once more to study it. 

Maddie walked over to Vlad, placing a hand on his back, smiling as he turned around to look at her. "Why don't we at least go get something to snack on, we've been trying to think of a way for the past hour. Thinking so vigorously burns a lot of calories, so maybe we just need some more fuel." 

Reluctantly, Vlad agreed to Maddie's request. All three of them hung up their lab coats and goggles before heading out the door, wrapped up in their winter clothing.

Taking the chance to do what he came to do unnoticed, Danny turned tangible and picked up the glass vile, holding the darkened liquid in his hand. As soon as his palm came into contact with the glass, the contents turned the original, bright neon color. It seemed that the goo just needed something to boost its energy again. Danny focused his energy, a light emitting from his free hand as he wrapped his fingers around the vile, hoping that by sharing his energy, the ecto-goo would stay active. 

"I left my wallet in my locker, give me a moment to go fetch it," Vlad's voice called as he stood outside the doorway. Upon entering, he saw the back of Danny, the boy's face facing the other way. He was about to yell at whoever was intruding on his time in the lab, but his voice caught in his mouth as he saw the goo reacting to whoever was holding it. 

Danny turned slightly, keeping the majority of his face hidden as he saw Vlad. His eyes widened in shock as he turned invisible, the vile still held in his hand. He set it on the counter, ready to leave before Vlad's voice spoke out. 

"Wait!" Vlad called out desperately, reaching out to the body that was no longer visible. "Where did you come from? Why are you here?" 

Danny softly ruffled Vlad's notes on the table, hoping it was enough of a sign to let the other man know that he was here to assist them with the portal, though his assistance was limited. He looked back at Vlad, knowing that he was unseen to his eyes. He looked away and floated back up towards the ceiling, leaving the building and a baffled Vlad.   
~~~~

When Danny returned back home, he shifted back to his human form, feeling his heart fluttering. Vlad had seen him as a ghost, but he didn't seem to know it was Danny himself. He lightly slapped his face into his hands, feeling like an idiot for letting himself be seen so easily. What happened to him being practically invisible to everybody around him? Now the one person he didn't want to see him in his ghost form, saw him. He needed to take his mind off of things or else he would go into a panic over everything. 

He glanced over at the pile of dirty clothes laying in the hamper and sighed to himself. Since when has he used cleaning as a chance to stop himself from over thinking?   
~~~~

As the blankets were tumbling in the dryer and Danny was reading one of Vlad's many poetry books, he heard the door to the campus laundry mat open. By force of habit, Danny looked up to see Vlad entering the small building, a huge smile on his face. Danny bookmarked his page and set the book down, smiling weakly back at Vlad. Why was he here? 

"Daniel!" Vlad nearly yelled, quickly walking to the boy, Danny knowing the reason as to why he was so excited. 

"Vlad!" Danny said, trying to match the older man's excitement. "Why are you here? I said I would do laundry." 

"That's exactly why I'm here! I wanted to tell you something that happened today, but when i went home you weren't there, so the only other place I could think to look was here and my assumption was correct! Anyway, ignoring the minor details, the goo is no longer dormant! We are now working on the physical portal and are hoping we have a way to expand the ecto-goo you've provided. That's not the real reason I'm so excited though! Daniel," Vlad soke softly, leaning closer to Danny's ear, so nobody else could hear, though there was nobody else in the laundry mat. "I saw a ghost! A ghost was the reason as to why the goo woke up once more. I think he's trying to help us with our research! But it was wonderful Daniel! The ghost was so beautiful, his hair a snow like white color. Even though I only got a view of his backside, I can't even put into words how beautiful it was, though he didn't stick around for long. He turned invisible in front of my eyes, invisible! Do you know what this means? There could be a large amount of ghosts walking beside us at all times, but they can be invisible as well! This new information is fascinating!" 

Danny smiled and nodded his head, though he wasn't as happy for Vlad as the older male assumed he would have been. "That's great Vlad! That means that you guys can hopefully get the portal working and you can show everyone that everything you have been saying since the beginning was true." 

"But it's so much more than that Daniel! With this new information, so many new doors are opening. What else are they capable of?" Vlad looked down, checking the watch on his wrist and cringed. "Oh butterscotch, I need to go to one of my classes now. Can you prepare two extra plates for dinner tonight? Maddie and Jack are coming over to eat so we can compare notes. You can invite Johnathan as well if you'd like, I don't want you to feel bored while we are talking about everything, though I don't want our group to be interrupted. I'll see you when I get home, thank you for doing laundry though," Vlad said quickly, glancing around to make sure nobody was around before planting a quick kiss on Danny's forehead. 

"Aright," Danny answered weakly, putting his face in the palm of his hands. Now what was he to do? He was the ghost Vlad was talking about, so what was he supposed to do? He felt guilty for lying, but he couldn't imagine what Vlad would do if he found out that Danny was actually a half ghost. He sighed loudly, man everything was growing really confusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry I'm late. A lot has been going on, I'm actually currently sick at the moment and can't really process a thought, so I'm gonna keep this short. School is almost done for the semester and I am thankful and need it. Hopefully I can wrap up this with a few more chapters. Please share your thoughts, comments, complaints, or point out my terrible spelling!


	13. The Start of Something New

Danny finished the laundry, his mind still racing with what had happened. Vlad had seen him in his ghost form, luckily enough though, Vlad didn't know that it was actually him. He carried the basket filled with clean clothing back to their dorm, wondering what he should do next. After being seen by Vlad, Danny did not really want to have both Maddie and Jack over. He was aware that Vlad would be talking about Danny's ghost form to both of them and he just did not want to deal with them talking about it.

For years Danny had to hide his secret identity, so it should not be that hard to hide it now, but at the same time he didn't want to lie to Vlad. It was mentally tearing him up on the inside to hide something so important to Vlad. It was hard hiding it from his parents for so long, but they accepted him as soon as he told them, maybe Vlad would be the same? Or he could react in the opposite manner. He might want to capture Danny and study his ghost half, completely ignoring Danny's own wishes. 

Nonetheless, once danny arrived home, he started preparing dinner. He figured that he could just cook dinner for Vlad, Maddie, and Jack, then go over to John's house to stay for the night. The whole time while cooking though, his body felt numb. He was stuck in a cosntant tug of war with his mind. Half of him wanted to tell Vlad, while the other half... the other half couldn't trust Vlad, at least not yet. 

'He loves you though, he has said so himself. He would never turn his back on you and experiment on you.'

But he loves his grandfather more, of course he would use you to reach him. He lost someone dear to him and regrets the way they parted, of course he would use you to find his grandfather, but who knows if he'll find him. He might just cause you pain and gain nothing in return. 

Danny was in a constant loop, wanting to tell Vlad and not wanting to tell him. Before he knew it, Vlad was walking through the door once more, humming to himself softly. The younger boy's body was moving automatically while he was trapped in his own mind, dinner finished. 

Vlad walked into the kitchen, smiling as he saw Danny and walked up to the boy. He grabbed Danny's shoulders and pulled the boy closer to his chest, kissing him on the forehead. "Thank you for making dinner, it smells delicious! I'm sure Maddie and Jack will appreciate it as well. They should be here soon, they said they had a few things to tell the chemistry professor." 

Hanging up his coat in the closet, Vlad examined Danny and saw that the boy looked stressed, his eyes constantly glancing around the room. "Daniel?" Vlad questioned as he stepped closer to Danny, lightly placing the palm of his hand on the slimmer boy's backbone. "Is something wrong? You look tense and haven't even looked at me since I walked in. You also didn't seem to be acting normal while at the laundry mat. Is something upsetting you?"

Cracking his mouth open, Danny looked past Vlad, the words forgotten on his tongue. Vlad, I'm a ghost. Nothing came out though, he just kept staring at the door, wanting to escape. "Vlad... I," he started to say, his eyes finally meeting the elder's. "I... Vlad..." 

As he was trying to say what he needed to, there was a knock on the front door. Vlad's once concered face was decorated with another smile as he went to the front door and pulled it open, Maddie and Jack standing on the other side. 

"Vladdy," Jack all but yelled as he walked in and pulled the man into a hug. 

Vlad, who once refused Jack's hugs, allowed the man to give him one and even softly patted the wider man's shoulders. "Jack, we just saw each other 20 minutes ago, there's no reason to hug me again." 

Maddie, who was quietly standing in the doorway, sniffed the air and smiled. "I see chef Danny has prepared dinner for us. That was really kind of you to do! I know that when Vlad usually cooks, he makes stuff that Jack won't eat. I feel like he does it purposefully as a way to mess with him though," she explained, adding a playful wink at the end of the sentence. 

Danny smiled and nodded his head, Vlad looking back at him. 

"Daniel, why don't you set the table so we can eat?" Vlad asked kindly, pulling Maddie and Jack into the living room. 

Walking back into the kitchen, Danny sighed. He pulled three plates from the cupboards and collected food from the pan to put on each plate. With the leftovers he had left, he placed them into different dishes, placing them on the table. He figured that they could each eat more of what they liked. 

"Dinner is ready," he called out quietly, watching as the three friends walked into the kitchen. 

Vlad was telling them about the ghost he had seen, glancing at the table to see that only three plates were set up. "Daniel?" he questioned, looking at the boy, noticing that he once again looked tense. 

"Don't worry about me," Danny said, brushing off the look Vlad was giving him. "I was thinking of going to Johnathan's for the night. Neither of us will know what you three are talking about, so I figured it would be for the best if I was just out of your hair." 

Maddie walked torwards Danny, her hand lifted as she placed it on his shoulder. "Danny, we can wait till later to talk about our experiment. You prepared dinner, I would hate to see you not enjoy it." 

Danny shrugged his shoulder, causing Maddie's hand to fall as he forced a smiled. "It's fine, it's just simple dishes, I can make it again. Really, you guys seem excited and I don't want to be in the way. Besides, your experiment is due soon, I'm sure you guys have a lot to talk about." 

He walked away, returning to the living room to grab his coat from the closet. He didn't see Maddie turn to Vlad or Vlad leave the kitchen and follow his boyfriend outside.

"Daniel!" Vlad called as Danny walked away from the door. "What was that?" he questioned, his arms automatically wrapping around his torso to keep him warm from the harsh air. 

"It's just as I said, I don't want to keep you guys from talking about what you want to talk about. You want to talk about the ghost boy you saw, so now you can. If Johnathan was here, you guys would have to wait until dinner and I wouldn't understand anything that you guys were talking about. I'm dumb, remember?" 

Vlad stepped towards Danny, watching as the boy shrunk back. "Daniel, you know that's not true. You might not understand what we are talking about, but you aren't dumb. You just understand different things. Now come on inside and eat with us." 

Danny shook his head, "Vlad, really it's fine. I already made plans with Johnathan. You have fun with your friends." 

"Daniel, this is not up for discussion. Something is wrong and I need you to tell me what is wrong. I may not be the best at understanding people, but I know that something is wrong. I need you to let me know." 

"And as I have told you, it is nothing. You are imagining things. I'm fine, I just don't want to interrupt your conversation with your friends. I don't need to be by your side every moment of the day." 

"What is wrong with you?" Vlad questioned, throwing his hands up in the air. "You've never acted this way before, so why are you acting like this now? It's infuriating Daniel. I can't help you if I don't know what is wrong."

"When did I ask for your help, Vlad?" Danny questioned, staring up at the man, his hands clenched into fists. "I don't need you taking care of me, I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I don't need you looking after me, you are not responsible for me, nor are you in charge of me." 

"Daniel, is this what this is about?" Vlad asked as he stepped closer to the boy. "I told you, we don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I am not trying to force you into anything." 

"That's the problem! Just a moment you were trying to force me to tell you what was wrong when I said nothing! Why can't you accept that maybe I have my own secrets I want to keep. If something was bothering me, what if I didn't want to tell you? What if it is something to do with you and I don't want to cause a problem?" 

Vlad pinched the bridge of his noise, sighing. "Daniel, you obviously stated that something was wrong and that I caused it. By you obviously stating that you want to have your own secrets, you are saying that you want to tell me what is wrong and that I'm responsible. What i did wrong, I don't know what I did and I won't know until you tell me." 

"Stop analyzing me!" Danny exclaimed, "I'm not one of your dumb experiments that you can make a hypothesis about and test out your predictions! I am a human being, I have my own emotions and don't want to be treated as something that can be solved." 

"Daniel..." Vlad tried to say, reaching for Danny.

The boy pulled away, stepped farther from Vlad. "I'm leaving Vlad. Go back inside and talk with your friends, I will see you in the morning." 

Before Vlad could say anything, Danny ran forward, not allowing the other man to say anything else. He knew Vlad wouldn't chase after him, not in this weather. It was cold and snowflakes were falling from the sky, Vlad would be insane to chase after Danny, especially without a coat. Besides, Vlad wouldn't leave Maddie and Jack in his apartment alone. Not that he didn't trust the other two, it would just be impolite, though they would understand. 

Danny continued running until his lungs burned. His mind was a mess and tears were falling from his eyes. He felt upset. Upset at himself for acting like that towards Vlad and upset that Vlad had treated him like a lab experiment. He was a human being and hated being treated like someone who was weak. He was allowed to be upset, he was allowed to want to keep secrets from Vlad. Vlad kept secrets as well. 

Vlad hid the fact that he was a dom from Danny and hadn't even thought of telling the boy. Danny was at least weighing out the negative and positives about telling Vlad about his other half. 

Feeling his anger well up, Danny shifted forms, his body being enveloped by the all too familair rings. As he finished transforming, he felt angrier. Why did he allow Vlad to see him? Why did he have to his something so important from someone he cared about so deeply? Why did he decide to help Vlad? He probably didn't even need to step in, it wasn't his responsibility to help Vlad out. It wasn't his fault that the ecto-plasm became dormant. 

Bending his knees, he threw himself into the air, the wind brushing through his hair. Now though he didn't care. He couldn't feel the coldness that the human world had to offer. Nothing bothered him any longer, the only problem were the thoughts inside his mind.

'He won't love you anymore, not after that little tantrum you showed. He tried to calmly find out what was wrong, but you just pushed him farther and farther away. You always find a way to mess things up. Remember when you and Sam fought? Do you remember how that ended? She left you, because you were acting like a little kid. You couldn't be mature about the issues you two had. Now, the same thing will happen with Vlad, he won't want to deal with you, at least not after your little performance.' 

"Shut up! Shut up!" Danny yelled, flying faster in the air, trying to outrun his thoughts. 

He continued this constant state of running. He shouldn't have fallen for Vlad or at the very least he should have never allowed their relationship to go so far.

'But you love him' 

The words softly played in his mind. 

'He treated you so kindly. He made sure you were comfortable and felt safe. He didn't tell you because he didn't want to push you to do something you weren't ready for. He even told you that he planned on telling you when the relationship between you two wasn't so new. He's always thinking of you. He even went to the laundry mat in between classes to tell you about something that made you happy." 

"But I ruined everything." 

'But he loves you. He knows about your flaws, he won't allow you to leave so easily. Go back to him and talk things out. Fix it before it is too late.'

His voice of reason was right, he couldn't allow himself to destroy something so perfect. At least over something so trivial. Danny decided then that while he might not be able to tell Vlad about his ghost half, he needed to at least tell him what was wrong, Vlad would understand. He would wait for Danny to tell him, he would always for the younger male. Because he loved him. 

~~~~

Danny decided to wait a bit longer before heading back home, he didn't want to interrupt Vlad's dinner with his friends, especially since they had a lot to discuss. When he got back though he didn't realize it had gotten so late. When he went back to the apartment, all the lights were off and it seemed as if Vlad had already gone to bed. 

As he reached into his pocket, he noticed that he had forgotten his key. He cursed quietly and turned his hand transparent, reaching through the door to open it from the other side. The doorknob rattled and the door creaked open as he pushed it forward, a light instantly turning on as he stepped into the warm dorm room. 

"Daniel," Vlad called out softly, his arms crossed over his lap as he sat in his chair, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. "Care to tell me why you aren't at Johnathan's right now?" 

Danny stepped inside, taking off his jacket, pulling a hanger from the closet to put it away. "Well he forgot that his roommate had invited his girlfriend over and while I could eat with them, I had nowhere else to sleep for the night so I figured that I would just come home." 

Vlad hummed to himself, pushing his glasses up and looking right at Danny. "That's an amusing explanation because when I went over to Johnathan's, he said he hadn't heard from you in three days. Care to try again?" 

Danny swallowed the lump in his throat and turned to Vlad. "So you didn't trust me and went to go check on me?" 

"Daniel, do not play this game with me. I trust you, more so than I trust others, but you are giving me reasons not to. I went over to Johnathan's so that we could talk out everything. I even asked Maddie and Jack to go home for the night so I could fetch you and we could finish our discussion. So I will ask again Daniel, where were you?" 

"Why does it matter?" Danny asked, walking into the living room to sit on the couch. "I am allowed to go where I please." 

Vlad shrugged his shoulders, "Fine, you are an adult and you are allowed to go where you please. Thought you may get caught by campus security and escorted off the premises Next question, how did you get inside? I remember locking the door." 

Danny thought carefully, there was no way he could lie to Vlad. "I... used the key you gave me." 

Raising his eyebrow, Vlad held up the key he had had copied for Danny and placed it down on the end table. "Wrong again Daniel, that's two strikes. Now, care to tell me the truth yet or are we going to continue playing this game?" 

"Vlad, I don't know what you want me to say!" 

"I want the truth Daniel! That's what I've wanted from the beginning!" Vlad yelled, standing from his armchair. "I want to know why you randomly showed up at my university. Why your parents haven't contacted you at all since you came or anyone for that matter. I want to know why the ecto-plasm was active when you held it, but died down in activity as I held it. I want to know how you got into this apartment without a key when the door was locked and I want to know about what other things you've been lying to me about," Vlad explained, throwing his hands up in the air. "All I've wanted was for you to be honest with me." 

"Like how you were honest with me?" Danny challenged, looking up at Vlad. "May I remind you that you lied to me as well?" 

Vlad sighed, clearly getting annoyed with the circle they were running in. "We already talked about this Daniel, I planned on telling you when you were ready. I didn't want you to run away from me!" 

"Well maybe I'm not ready to tell you!" Danny said, tears threatening to fall from his eyes again. 

Stepping forward, Vlad pulled Danny into a hug, trying to calm the boy down. "Daniel, you know my darkest secret, you know something I don't allow those close to me to know. You didn't judge me, you accepted it, even though you were a little scared. I told you everything you wanted to know when you asked, so please Daniel, tell me what I want to know." 

Danny buried his face into Vlad's shoulder blade, nodding his head. He knew that it was time, Vlad was already questioning so much. He placed his fingertips on Vlad's hip, pushing the older man away. He looked up at Vlad, feeling his body tense as he felt the familiar warmth of the rings he felt only moments ago. 

As Danny transformed, he closed his eyes and glanced down at the floor, his now snowy, white hair falling over his face. He was just waiting now, waiting for Vlad to capture him or scream, but nothing came. 

Cautiously, he looked back up to see Vlad staring at him, the older man's eyes opened wide.  
"F...Fruitloop?" Danny questioned as he took a step forward. He extended his arm, but quickly pulled it back, holding it over his chest. 

He didn't know what to do. Of course Vlad would be shocked. Once the initial shock is set aside, he'll probably try to capture Danny to perform experiments on him. 

"Magnificent," Vlad whispered, surprising the younger boy. 

Danny felt fingertips softly ghost under his chin as Vlad pushed it up, looking at the boy's face. 

"How is this possible? Are you a ghost? You took on the role of a human so easily, yet here you are as something completely different. You were the one in the room with me, the one who grabbed the vile once more and helped us move forward with our experiment," Vlad said, still whispering. Realization finally hit as he stared at Danny. "Badger, is this why you always seemed to be floating around the kitchen at times when you were cooking? Or why you were able to unlock the door even though you didn't have a key?" 

Nodding, Danny tried to pull his chin away from Vlad's grasp, but found it hard to do as the man continued holding it. 

"Daniel, please say something to me. I need to know you are okay." 

"I'm fine, just nervous," Danny stated, looking into Vlad's eyes. His green eyes causing Vlad to stare. 

"This is simply fascinating. I didn't know it was possible for a ghost to take on the form of a human. I would never have imagined that they would be able to walk among humans." 

"They can't," Danny stated, shifting back into his human form, his emotions making his ghost form unstable. "I'm not a ghost, I'm a half ghost," he explained, watching the confusion appear on Vlad's face. "My parents, they made a ghost portal, kind of like the one that you are working on as well. Well, they are trying to make it," Danny said, technically not lying because Jack and Maddie where his parents, but from a different timeline. "They have the base for it, but couldn't get it to turn on. When I was looking in at the portal, I accidentally touched something that sent the ecto-plasm to seep into my body. It combined with my DNA. I passed out from the shock and when I woke up, I was how you just saw me moments ago. I couldn't control it as well as I can now, so I would transform every so often into my ghost form and then into my human form. When I met a ghost for the first time, I was shocked, but not as shocked as they were. A half-ghost doesn't exist, at least there isn't a lot of them. They say there's another half ghost they know of, but I haven't met him yet, that's why I want you to get your portal finished. I need your help to meet him, so that he might be able to explain everything to me." 

Vlad was stunned, his fingers still resting under Danny's chin. It explained so much, why he was able to do what he did. Why he knew so much about their experiments and was able to at least follow along with the basics. Why the goo reacted to him and how he was able to enter the house. 

"Daniel, this is... amazing! I never imagined that human DNA and ghost DNA could combine together. I would imagine that the ghost DNA would act as a dominant DNA and overthrow the human DNA," Vlad explained, excited by what he saw. 

"I uh... wouldn't know. I only know the general basics about being a half ghost. I want to learn more, so you can see why I've been trying to help you, but I've also go other reasons now. I want to see you succeed and to accomplish your dream." 

"Why did you hide the fact you are a halfa?" Vlad questioned, stepping around Daniel to see if there was anything that changed physically when the boy shifted between the two forms. 

Danny shrugged. "How could I possibly tell you that I'm part ghost? I didn't know you at the time and became worried that if you found out, you would try to experiment on me." 

Vlad froze in his spot and narrowed his eyes. "You were worried I would experiment on you? I love you, I could never possibly bring harm to you. I know I'm considered a cold man around the campus with no sympathy for other humans, but you should know better than that! Have I ever hurt you without your acknowledgement?" Vlad's voice was low, his eyes resting on the ground. "I've asked you to be my sub as a way to protect you and keep you safe, I would never cause you harm, even though you aren't my sub. The idea is still there, I still want to keep you safe." 

Danny reached forward, wrapping his hand around Vlad's as he spoke softly. "I know that... now," Danny admitted. "I just let my mind wander while I should have been listening to my heart instead. I love you. I love you so much that it caused me pain to keep this from you, especially since I hate lying to you." 

Vlad stepped away from Danny, pushing the boy away. "Daniel, while I appreciate you telling me now, I think I need a moment to think things through, just like you needed some time to think about my secret. Please, just let me be for a bit. You can sleep in my room tonight if you want, but I need some time to myself." 

Before Danny could reply, Vlad turned to leave the living room, heading to the bathroom. He locked himself inside, leaving Danny standing in the middle of the living room, the boy's shoulders trembling. He wiped his eyes, not wanting to cry again. He knew that Vlad was being reasonable and that he needed to analyze everything. He turned and walked towards Vlad's room, opening the door and stepping inside the dark room. 

Vlad was a man who had to think every little detail through before coming to a conclusion and right now he needed to think about what to say to Danny. He didn't plan on breaking up with the boy, but he knew that they had to fix the flaws in their relationship. He couldn't allow them to keep secrets any longer and he needed to find a way to get Danny to be more comfortable around him, even if that meant pushing the boy out of his comfort zone. The more secrets they kept from each other, the more fights they seemed to hide and that's something that Vlad wanted to keep from happening. 

Danny laid in Vlad's bed, his head softly laying against the older man's pillow. Though he knew that they were experiencing problems, he felt safe in Vlad's room. The other boy's scent filled his nose and it was almost as if he could feel Vlad's arms wrapped around him. Though he should have been upset, he smiled. He knew even now Vlad was thinking of him, that's why he allowed him to sleep in the bedroom. He knew that Danny would be comforted by the imaginary presence of Vlad being there, rather than the younger male sleeping on the couch alone.

They would be okay, this would only make them stronger. 

"That's right Danny, it's only a matter of time and I can assure you everything will be alright," a voice whispered, though Danny knew who it belonged to. "Don't forget, I have already seen this all, so I already know how this play will end."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your support, the love I get is truly amazing! I hope you all enjoy the story and continue to do so. I'm sorry if this chapter is sad, but it is needed for the story to continue in the direction I need. I promise, there is a somewhat happy ending! Please continue to support me and leave whatever feedback you feel necessary. As stated in all chapters, all mistakes are my own.


	14. Chapter 14

Sunlight streamed through the window, the soft rays resting on the younger boy's face. Scrucnhing his nose up, Danny let out a quit noise as he squirmed, not wanting to get up yet. After last night, Danny wanted nothing more than to stay curled up in Vlad's bed, the scent of the older male surrounding him, but he was aware that nothing good would come from just wasting the day. He slowly opened his eyes, curling his fingers together and rubbed his eyelids, trying hard to get rid of the groggy feeling one gets after sleeping. He leaned up and reached his arms up, feeling his muscles ache as they cracked while they were being stretched. It wasn't the same sleeping without Vlad, there was no body to keep him warm or one that he could hold tight, but he was thankful that Vlad had at least offered Danny the bed. 

Danny got up from the bed and walked towards the door, smelling a sweet aroma as he opened it. He looked in the kitchen to see that the table was set, a variety of food scattered on the table top, coffee already made and resting in the mug that Vlad had bought for Danny a week after they officially started dating. It was a cheesy mug that had a tiny astronaut on it, floating in space with the words, "You are out of this world," spelled out with with stars over the astronaut's head. While it was cheesy and most people would cringe at the gift, Danny was ecstatic to get it, appreciating the fact that Vlad was always thinking about him. 

"Morning Little Badger," Vlad called, already seated at the table, sipping at his own cup of coffee while glancing over his notes. "Sit down, please?" He asked, nodding towards the chair right beside him, the one that had a plate already filled with food. 

Danny obliged, walking over to fill the seat next to Vlad, seeing that the man had already even added milk and sugar to his coffee. "Vlad, what is all of this?" the younger boy asked, his eyebrow arching as he looked at the food skeptically. While he knew Vlad sometimes cooked for them in the morning, Danny was the one who usually planned out the feasts, Vlad sticking to the bare minimum of cooking, unless Danny was helping him. 

Vlad straightened himself up and placed his cup on the table, looking over at Danny. "I thought it was about time for us to talk, about everything Daniel. I let Maddie and Jack know earlier that I was going to be spending the day with you, because there are some things we need to discuss and I don't want us to feel rushed because of my classes. Before we talk about everything though, I want you to eat something. I can only imagine the last time you had a decent meal, especially since I know you tend to starve yourself when you get emotional." 

It was true. Danny tended to get so caught up in his emotions that he didn't feel hungry. It wasn't as if he was trying to keep himself from eating, he just didn't feel the urge to eat, his mind was worried about other things. Danny ate his food, happy that Vlad had made the time to make it for him. It was a bit awkward being the only one eating, but Vlad waited patiently, sipping at his coffee while reading over one of his notebooks, the male's glasses leaning softly at the tip of his nose. Danny took the time to study the kitchen, a lot has changed since he arrived. The cupboard were filled with food and the kitchen didn't look empty. There were dirty dishes, the oven was a bit messy, needing to be cleaned after Vlad's cooking. It just seemed less lonely, like there was a reason to be there, like how Danny has a reason to be with Vlad. 

When he was full, Danny pushed away his plate, getting the attention of the older man. Vlad stood from his chair, taking Danny's discarded plate and putting it in the sink, deciding they can clean it later. He walked back towards Danny, reaching for the boy's hand and pulling him from his chair, escorting them both to the living room. Vlad sat on the couch, pulling Danny to sit down beside him. He reached up, taking his glasses off and setting them on the coffee table in front of them. 

"I think it would be best for me to begin, if that is alright with you," Vlad requested, holding Danny's hand in his lap, rubbing the tip of his thumb against the boy's skin. 

Danny nodded, but then quickly added in a "sure," knowing that Vlad preferred verbal acknowledgement. 

Vlad cleared his throat, "I made a few mistakes yesterday and I would like to apologize for them, because I know that I wasn't one-hundred percent innocent yesterday. Firstly," Vlad began, tapping his foot lightly against the floor, "I acted childish. I cornered you and put you in a spot that made you uncomfortable and forced you to tell me something you weren't ready to tell me. That was probably my biggest mistake and I want you to forgive me. I would blame my hot-headed behavior and my need to know everything, but that would be even worse of me to do. I allowed my negative emotions to control me and in return, I did the one thing that I swore not to do, I forced you to do something you didn't want to. I regret what I did and while I can't change what I did, I have reflected on it and I will try to keep my emotions in check so that I don't force you to do anything else." Vlad was now looking at the floor, he was truly ashamed that he had forced the younger boy into a corner, something he never imagined himself doing. As a dominant, he wouldn't ever want to force his sub to do something that they weren't ready for, but he had done that with Danny. Though he wasn't Danny's dominant, he had failed the younger male already and he felt nothing but disappointment. "Secondly, I tried to play the victim. I wanted to make you feel bad, so I tried to put the blame on you, when we both are a fault, maybe me more-so than you, but I tried to put the blame on you. I thought about how I would react in your situation and I can see from your side now. You didn't know me in the beginning, so of course you couldn't tell me your secret, because you didn't trust me, similar to how I didn't trust you. I would like to think that you would have told me sooner or later, but as previously stated, I didn't give you time. I'm sorry I couldn't see from your point of view before, I want you to know that in the future, I plan on working on it. I want to be able to understand you better and want to keep another fight from breaking out, so I promise to think about your point of view calmly before sharing my opinion." 

Not knowing what more he could do, Danny reached for Vlad, pulling the man's body towards his own. He hated seeing Vlad upset and he knew that the older man didn't like admitting his flaws, something his older self shared with him. Vlad seemed to relax in the hold, even wrapping his own arms around Danny's waist, kissing the boy's neck lightly. 

"I'm sorry too, Vlad and I know that I made mistakes as well. I get too defensive and I tried to shut you out last night, while at the same time trying to avoid the conversation. You know I don't like confronting others, I like to let problems sizzle down so that I don't have to acknowledge them. I want to work on that, so that I can help keep our relationship strong. I know that if I just ignore our problems, it could possibly ruin what we have. Since I'm saying that, i need to acknowledge your request about you being my dominant. I've been ignoring it, and that's wrong of me to do so." Danny pulled away, holding both of Vlad's hands in his own. Though they were both men, Vlad's hands seemed larger than his own. "I think we should discuss it more thoroughly, but I want to be your submissive. Now, I'm not saying that because I want you to think I'm trying to make up for last night, but just like you, I was thinking about it a bit and I like how you act with me. You make sure I'm making good choices. You don't try to control me and I don't think you ever would, you just make sure I am functioning like any other adult. I like when I can depend on you and let you make decisions, but I know that you would let me make them as well if I asked." 

Vlad smiled softly, lifting the boy's chin so that their eyes met. "I would want nothing more than to be your dominant, but you are right, we do have to talk it through a bit more, but that can wait until later. I want to focus on you and what happened last night. I want you to tell me more about your ghost half, if you don't mind telling me of course. I want to help you and I want to better understand it." 

Nodding, Danny started his story. Telling Vlad whatever details he could about his experience on being a ghost. How blue fog escapes from his mouth whenever another ghost's presence is near and how he's had to help fight off other ghosts so that they don't harm the humans in his city. He told Vlad about how he hid it from his parents because he was afraid they wouldn't accept his other half. He also explained how it felt to be a half-ghost, or at least in the best way possible. He always felt like his ghost-half was separate from him, but they were also one in the same. He knew that when he neglected his other half, there was a sort of inward chaos in his body. His ghost half wanted some freedom as well as Danny did. 

Vlad became interested in the ghosts Danny met once his DNA was fused with the ecto-goo. Danny tried his best to explain his encounters, knowing he couldn't be too elaborate on the details or Danny could possibly give away important knowledge Vlad wasn't allowed to know yet. The younger boy focused his attention more so on ghosts he knew weren't very valuable to future Vlad as hunters. Danny talked about the box ghost and his strange obsession with controlling the cardboard inanimate objects, which caused Vlad to laugh at the how silly it was. 

"You can't be serious, he tried to fight you off by possessing boxes and using them as a method to attack? I can't fathom why such a powerful ghost would try to attack someone with boxes. Honestly, it's hard to imagine any ghost attacking humans, they were once part of our world too. It's a little saddening to hear how they forgot who they once were and instead, they turned into monsters," Vlad stated, grabbing Danny's hand in his own and lightly brushing his fingertips against the boy's skin. "What made them attack you?" 

The younger boy shrugged his shoulders, not really having an answer to Vlad's question. It was extremely hard to explain one single reason for why they all attacked humans. There seemed to be different reasons, depending on the background of the ghosts. "There are loads of reasons as to why some of them attack humans. Some ghosts I've faced don't like to deal with change, whether it be themselves or the world around them that they once knew. Some do it so that they can get vengeance from those who wronged them before in the past, though their enemies have already passed on, they make it their goal to harm other's to make up for their own misery and pain. Some are forced into it, being controlled by a more devious ghost. Mostly though, i think it's from being lonely. Something in their lives caused them to form so much hatred in their heart, that they don't want other's to be happy. A lot of the time it is because they lost someone dear to them, someone they didn't ever want to give up," Danny explained sadly, thinking about Vlad in the future. 

Sure, Vlad had tried to harm him numerous times in the future, but it wasn't like he was ever trying to kill off Danny. Danny couldn't hate the older man, he was just lonely and who could really blame him. An accident caused by Danny's father changed Vlad's life forever, making it so the man grew older in solitude, losing everyone he may have once held dear. 

Sadness washed over the younger male, he didn't want to see the Vlad before him change into the Vlad of the future. The Vlad now, HIS Vlad, was kind and caring, wanting to put Danny's needs over his own. He was forgiving, if not a bit stubborn, but he could be an adult and move on. Vlad in the future, he was bitter and hateful, not able to see the good in any situation and it just made Danny upset to know that the caring man in front of him would turn into someone so cold. 

He leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against the older man's, giving him a feather light kiss. He pulled away and gazed into Vlad's eyes, cupping the other's face. He never wanted to leave his side, but he knew that while ghosts were real, magic was not. He knew he couldn't do anything to stop what would happen in the future, because that's not how time worked. It has already happened and nothing can stop it. 

Vlad sighed happily as Danny pulled away from the kiss and smiled at the boy. "What's wrong Little Badger? Are you getting sad thinking about the other ghosts?" 

"There's one ghost who I run into constantly and after being with you, I can understand how he feels. Vlad, he was just lonely and looking for someone to chase after him, even if it was for a negative reason. He just wanted someone to keep him company and I just feel sad that he had to resort to such measures to find attention. I can understand why he would be bitter, I feel like if I had to leave you, I could be just as bitter as him," Danny explained, leaning forward once more to kiss Vlad's cheek. "I wish he wasn't so lonely." 

"The next time you see him, maybe you should tell him you'll keep him from being lonely, though I'm not sure I want to share you," Vlad teased pulling Danny in for a deeper kiss. "As long as you tell him your body and heart are mine, I don't mind him occupying your time." Vlad moved his hands around Danny's waist, holding the boy still as his lips traveled down the boy's neck. "Although, I don't need you telling him you are mine. I can just leave proof." 

Danny leaned his head up, giving Vlad more room to work with. He felt the older male's lips press against his skin, taking spots into his mouth and sucking on the pale surface, sometimes even nipping at it. Danny wrapped his arms around Vlad's back, holding him tight. "I uh, thought we were talking about last night." 

Vlad stopped to look up at Danny. "I'm satisfied with what I know now, I'm sure you will tell me more information if you feel it is necessary and I know that you were only trying to keep yourself safe, so I'm no longer upset. Are you saying you don't want to do this?" 

"No, that's not what I'm saying, I just wasn't sure if you were happy with what I told you," Danny answered, watching as Vlad leaned back down to his neck. 

The older man started kissing Danny's neck again and slowly pressed Danny's back to the couch, holding his own hand against the smaller's boy frame. He grabbed the bottom of Danny's shirt and lifted it above the boy's stomach, throwing it across the room as he took it completely off. Vlad leaned up, grabbing his own shirt and quickly discarding it. "Gosh, I'm always surprised at how beautiful you are. You look so appetizing with my marks all over your body," Vlad leaned down, his lips hovering over Danny's ears, "You look so eager to please me, Little Badger. You are waiting for me to ravish you and to do what I want, isn't that right?" 

Danny let out a chocked gasp as Vlad lightly bit his ear, before nodding his head. "Yes Vlad," he answered quietly. "I'm yours." 

Vlad smiled and continued kissing down the boy's body. He stopped at Danny's nipples, he gave Danny one last look before he took the left one into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the hard nub. He felt Danny's body push up against his own as the boy pressed forward, surprised by the new form of pleasure he was feeling. Vlad reached his hand down and slipped it under the top of Danny's sweatpants. He pressed his palm against the boy's boxers, feeling the outline of the boy's semi-erect cock. He slowly begin rubbing it through the boy's boxers and smiled as the boy squirmed underneath him. He pulled away from the boy's chest and looked up into those sky blue eyes, the ones he loved so much. "I love the reactions you give me, my love. The way you just allow me to do what I please. The way your cock gets hard as soon as I pay your body attention. One I will train to know only pleasure and one that will gain pleasure from pain." 

Danny was at a loss for words, he knew that Vlad enjoyed dominating others, but he never imagined how Vlad would act. The Vlad before him was much more controlling, he needed to be in charge. "Vlad, please." 

A slight sting was felt as Vlad softly smacked Danny's inner thigh, causing the smaller boy to moan loudly. "Badger, you must be more clear. I don't know what you are asking me to do." Vlad returned his hand to Danny's pants, rubbing his fingertips against the fabric. "Tell me what you want Daniel, tell me what you want me to do to this body of yours." 

"I want you to touch me directly, please Vlad," Danny begged, pressing his hips forward. 

Vlad slapped Danny's inner thigh once more, in a different position from the first one, but this time a bit harder. "Now that's a bad boy, Daniel. You don't press your hips forward. You have to tell me what part you want me to touch. Your neck, your chest, or maybe you want me to touch your cock?" 

Danny whimpered as he felt the sting, but even though the slap hurt, the sting left afterwards was nothing but pleasurable. "Please Vlad, touch my cock, without the clothing." 

Vlad smiled and leaned down to kiss Danny's lips, nipping at the boy's top lip. "Good boy, I will listen to your request." He curled his fingers over the top of the boy's pants and boxers, pulling them down. He pushed the clothing the the boy's knees and smiled as he saw Danny's now fully erect cock, free from the articles of clothing. Vlad leaned over the couch and opened the end table drawer, pulling out a bottle of lube and a box of condoms. He popped open the cap to the bottle of lube with his teeth and placed some in his hand, rubbing it against his skin to get it warm. Then, obliging to Danny's request, he wrapped his fingers around the boy's shaft and slowly started rubbing the skin, his slick fingers gliding along the length. He occasionally would rub his fingertips over the tip of Danny's cock, watching as the boy would take in a sharp breath of air. "You like that Daniel? Feeling my hand rub your cock as you lay beneath me? You look so breathtaking, your eyes closed shut as you experience the pleasure I give you. Your uneven breathing as I brush my fingertips against the tip. Do you like that Little Badger? Letting me take over? I control what pleasure you get and you just accept it." 

"Please," Danny whined, grabbing Vlad's back, his nails slightly digging into the older males skin. "I need more, please."

"That's what I want to see. My Little Badger begging me to give him more pleasure, something I can only do. Daniel, I need to know, do you trust me?" Vlad asked speeding up his movement as he watched Danny squirm underneath him. 

"Gosh, yes Vlad. I trust you with my life, now please give me more," Danny cried out, desperately holding back from thrusting his body forward. 

Vlad pulled one of the condoms from the box and opened it, slipping the lubed up material around his finger. "Daniel, you'll have to take my word for it, but this is going to hurt. I'm going to be as slow as I need to be and I promise to be as careful as I can." Vlad removed his hand from Danny's cock, listening as the boy let out a disappointed sigh under him. He leaned his head down and softly licked the tip of the boy's cock. As he continued to lick and suck at the boy's cock, Vlad applied more lube to the condom on his finger and placed his finger against the smaller boy's entrance. He glided his finger over the skin, hoping the boy would relax. Vlad starting sucking on the length of Danny's cock, feeling the boy's nails sink deeper into his skin as he did so. He placed his free hand on Danny's stomach, rubbing at the boy's skin, hoping to comfort him more. 

Though Vlad had never been with another man, he knew that he would end up having sex with Danny, so he decided to do some research. Though there was very limited information, he did read that you had to take things slow, get the one on the receiving end lose and relaxed so that nothing would tear. The last thing Vlad wanted to do was cause Danny any unnecessary pain, pain he didn't mean to cause. As he felt the boy's entrance get softer, Vlad inched his finger in, feeling Danny's body tighten up instantly. He pulled his lips away from Danny's cock, looking up to see the boy's face distorted from the uncomfortable presence. 

"Daniel, you need to relax, I promise it is okay. I'm not going to rush into anything, I just need you to relax your body," Vlad explained, slowly easing his finger into the tight space. 

Vlad kept up the action, slowly inching his finger in as he felt Danny's entrance loosen up. He kept his promise, taking as much time as Danny needed before the boy looked comfortable enough for him to continue. It took awhile before Vlad was able to add another finger, once again, adding a generous amount of lube to the already wet condom. He would twist his fingers, trying to ease the younger boy into accepting more, hoping that the pain wasn't too unbearable. 

"Badger, how are you feeling?" Vlad asked, slowly pumping the boy's cock as he continued stretching him. He hadn't heard much from Danny, just a few small whimpers when Vlad was adding more to the loosening muscle. He knew that Danny must have felt a burn occasionally, but Vlad needed to prepare him if they were to do anything more in the future. 

"I'm fine, it's just weird," Danny stated, smiling up at Vlad. While Danny didn't necessarily enjoy the preparation, he knew that it would grow to become more pleasurable the more he grew used to it. "It doesn't really hurt at all, it just sort of burns when you go in deeper or when you added another finger. When do you think I'll be ready for you?" 

Vlad chuckled, spreading his fingers a bit, earning another low whimper from the younger male. "Today isn't the day, Little Badger. I don't want to tear anything or cause you any unplanned pain. I want your body to loosen up a bit more before I try entering you, however long that may take," Vlad answered, leaning over the boy's body to kiss lightly at his lips. 

"But what about you? Are you okay with not doing it today?" the younger male asked.

"Daniel, my pleasure does not matter if it puts you in pain. I want you to enjoy yourself, so that way when you are ready, we will both experience pleasure." Vlad leaned down and kissed Danny's shoulder, spreading his fingers wider and twisting them, hoping that the boy was feeling some sort of pleasure while Vlad was stretching him. "Seeing you happy and experiencing bliss is good enough for me." 

He continued with the stretching, curling his fingers, hoping to find the spot that would drive Danny wild. As he felt Danny's body become more accustomed to the stretching, Vlad started pumping the boy's cock faster. He knew that they had been going at stretching for awhile, the whole thing being a process. Whether Vlad was being too cautious or taking too much time, he didn't care. He wanted to make sure that Danny would enjoy whatever Vlad did to him. As Vlad curled his fingers up once more, he heard Danny let out a loud moan, his body arching off the couch from the surprising feeling. 

"There we go Little Badger, I found your spot," Vlad said, a smile on his face as he continued curving his fingers and rubbing at Danny's cock. "Now, you've done very well today, my love. Do you want to cum? You've been waiting so patiently while I was stretching you open, your poor cock is probably begging for release." 

"Vlad," Danny called out quietly, his voice getting caught in his throat as Vlad curled is fingers once more, hitting the spot that caused the boy's back to arch upwards. "Please, I've been good and I want to cum."

Humming, Vlad quickened his movements, arching his fingers up more often and giving small kisses to the tip of Danny's cock as he rubbed it, wanting the boy to experience pure bliss when he finally released. "That's my good Little Badger, you look so beautiful. Your hair all tangled and your body covered in my marks, simply remarkable. If anyone were to see you now, they would be entrapped by your pure beauty. Waiting so patiently for my permission to finally cum." He leaned down, his lips near Danny's lips, planting tiny kisses against the skin as he continued speaking. "Your body is so dirty, spread out for me. You even spread your legs for me, just so I can rub your cock and stretch you out. Do you like it Daniel? My fingers stretching you, filling your body with me. Do you want to feel my cock one day penetrate you? Make you permanently mine? Give you a taste you'll never be able to replace?" 

Danny was squirming, trying to hold back as long as possibly. He couldn't verbally answer Vlad, but he was nodding his head, his nails dragging against Vlad's back as he tried to keep himself from releasing. 

"You're such a good boy. I can't wait till I can push my cock into your hole, stretching you out as I enter you. Pushing inside you, making it so no other cock will please you. You want that don't you? My fingers aren't enough to keep your hole satisfied, it needs something longer and thicker." Vlad watched as tears filled Danny's eyes, he was trying so hard to keep from releasing, which caused the older male to smile. He knew Danny would be the perfect submissive, waiting for Vlad's orders. "Alright Danny, you can cum now." 

The younger male cried out, his voice cracking and his nails pulling down on Vlad's back, blood collecting around them. His back pressed up as he felt his whole body shiver, his seed squirting from his cock and landing on Vlad's skin. As his body fell back to the couch, his chest was rising rapidly as he tried to collect his breath. He felt dried tears against his cheeks, shutting his eyes as he tried to recover from the experience. 

Vlad pulled his hand away from the boy's cock, not wanting to touch the boy's oversensitive skin. He also removed his fingers, slipping the condom inside out as he took it off. He quickly got up and walked to the kitchen, throwing the used condom and washing his hands as he put water on a washcloth. 

When he returned to the living room, the wet washcloth in his hand, he saw Danny curled up, the boy staring at the ceiling. "Danny?" Vlad questioned, sitting at the edge of the couch. He pressed the cloth against the boy's skin, earning another whimper. 

"I'm okay, just, I don't really know how to explain it. That was amazing and I just can't put anything into words right now. My brain is mush," Danny tried to explain, knowing he wasn't making any sense at the moment. 

"That's fine, let me take care of you, okay?" Vlad asked, continuing to clean the boy's skin. He rubbed the boy clean, making sure that he wouldn't cause any discomfort by touching Danny's still sensitive cock. As he finished cleaning the slender boy's body, he gathered up the dirty clothing that he recently threw across the room and took them to the bathroom, throwing them all in the hamper. 

"Fruitloop," Danny called from the living room. 

Vlad returned and saw Danny's body curled up against the couch, the boy's eyes shut. "Yes?" 

"You didn't get to cum," Danny complained, pursing his lips. 

"I told you before, it is not always about my own pleasure. I don't want to push your body, nor do I need to cause any physical damage to your body. I can assure you that while I didn't get to cum, I got to see you experience such a powerful release and that is fine with me." Vlad leaned down, slipping his arms under the boy's body, gently lifting him and holding him to his chest. It was a bit weird holding a grown man in his arms, but at the same time, he knew that Danny probably wouldn't be able to walk on his own without stumbling. "In the future there may come a time when I get to feel pleasure and you don't get to. Like I said, I don't want you just so I can get myself off, I'm more than happy to show you pure pleasure." 

Vlad carried Danny into his room, or their room, setting the boy down on the bed. He got in the bed beside Danny, pulling the blanket over both of their bodies. He wrapped his arms around the boy and kissed the top of his head, pampering the boy with physical affection. "You did so good though. I know that it must have felt different, but I'm glad you trusted me enough to take care of everything. I'm so proud of you, Daniel." 

Danny slipped his head under Vlad's chin, wrapping his own hands lazily around Vlad's wrist. While he did enjoy the sexual part of their relationship, he also enjoyed the moments after, where they just laid in each others arms. Sometimes it felt more sensual to be this vulnerable with one another than to have his cock being rubbed or sucked. "Hmm, I know you wouldn't do anything I was completely against. And while it was weird, it didn't feel completely painful, there were moments where it was pleasurable. I'm just glad you were so careful and continued to help me relax." 

"You're such a wonderful boyfriend," Vlad praised. He held Danny in his arms, feeling the boy's breathing even out as he drifted off to sleep. Vlad continued to hold him, occasionally kissing the boy's forehead or petting his hair back. He was truly happy to have found Danny, he didn't know what he would do if Danny hadn't been there. He thought back to what Danny said when he talked about the ghost that showed up constantly, the one who was just lonely. Vlad could understand where the ghosts anger came from, especially when the one's you held close either left you or found someone new. As he looked at Danny's sleeping face, he thought about how sad it must be, being so lonely that you seek to hurt others. "I wouldn't ever want to be the bad guy, especially with you, my love," Vlad whispered, his lips softly touching the skin above Danny's eyebrow. "No matter what happens, I know it would only make you upset if I ever became so caught up in vengeance and sought out to hurt others. I want to be someone who can continuously make you proud, someone you will one day be happy having as your dominant. I love you Daniel, and I hope that you know how deep my love goes for you, though I know I am not the best at expressing it. Sleep tight, I'll be here to love you some more once you wake up." 

Vlad pulled Danny closer and closed his own eyes, falling asleep to the sound of Danny's slight snoring. 

~~~

Alone in his manor, Vlad paced his basement. For years, he has waited, wishing to once again hold Danny in his arms. After the accident with the prototype ghost portal, he had been rushed to the hospital and placed in the emergency room. As the doctor's tried to figure out what they could do to help, the ecto-plasm had already infused with his body, creating Vlad's ghost half, though he was unaware of it at the time. 

While he was hospitalized, he stayed asleep for days, his body adapting to the inward changes that would forever change his life. When he woke up, he frantically called out for Danny, hoping for the younger boy to be in his room. He was disappointed though, waking up to find that he was alone. Nobody was there for him, a constant in his life. When someone finally decided to visit him, it was Jack and Maddie, the two idiots who still were madly in love, the two idiots who had each other, the two who weren't alone. 

Maddie cried a lot when she first visited, her eyes swollen as she sat beside Vlad's bedside, apologizing constantly for the event that took place. Wishing she could take his place, so that he didn't need to be dealing with so much. 

Vlad was thankful for her apologies, but knew they were unnecessary, there was nothing that could have been done to stop the accident. Once he calmed her down, he looked at the two and asked how Danny was doing, wondering why the boy hadn't stopped by while he was awake. He noticed that there was a vase on the table in his room, flowers that were found in the park where they had first kissed. He knew that the boy had to have been the one to bring them, but then why hadn't he been in again? 

Maddie and Jack stayed quiet, slowly exchanging glances, wondering what to say and who should say it. Maddie stepped forward, grabbing Vlad's hand, careful not to pump any of the tubes in the male's skin. "Danny, he's not here anymore," she softly stated, smiling sadly as tears filled her eyes again. "He was here for you once you were safe to leave the emergency room, but after that, he just left. I know he brought you flowers, but neither of us have seen him again. We constantly would knock on your door, hoping he would answer, but he hasn't. We even peaked through your windows and saw no sign of him. I think he went back home." 

In that moment, Vlad's body went still. "Go," he demanded, staring blankly at the wall. 

"Vlad, don't do this. We are here and everything will be okay," Maddie pleaded, tightly wrapping her fingers around the male's. 

"I am not asking you, I am telling you. Now leave," Vlad said again, pulling his hand from Maddie's. He kept his gaze at the wall, looking at the flowers filling the vase. He didn't even notice Jack pulling Maddie out of the room, he couldn't focus on anything. His body felt numb, thinking that Danny left him without a word. Maybe it was a lie, maybe Danny was still here, just in his ghost form so that he wouldn't be caught by others. 

He waited and waited, looking around the room for any sign that Danny was there with him. He would even call out to the boy, hoping that he could hear what he was saying. As days passed though, his hope faded. It wasn't until Maddie and Jack came back to visit, an envelope in Maddie's hand. One addressed to Vlad, from Danny. 

The flower vase shattered as Vlad launched his pillow across the room. His monitors going wild as he continued his tantrum, throwing whatever he could reach from his bed at the already broken glass. He screamed, tears filling his eyes as he crumbled the note in his hand, Maddie and Jack already gone as they wanted to give the male privacy. He clawed at the bed sheets, his nails ripping at the fabric. It wasn't true, Danny wouldn't leave him. Danny love him and promised to stay with him. 

Years after, Vlad still longed for Danny, his heart feeling empty as he recovered and discovered his new ability. He was alone, knowing he couldn't rely on anyone as his body changed. He held the bitterness in his heart, seeking out Danny wherever he went, whenever he could. He had days where he felt nothing but bitterness for the boy, but then other times he just felt mentally drained and cried, wanting to hold the boy in his arms. 

Twenty years passed and Vlad didn't know what more to do, but he wanted to hurt others, they way they had hurt him. So, he threw a party at his manor, inviting those who left him as he was stuck in the hospital. He felt hatred towards Jack, the one who was responsible for the accident. When Jack and Maddie arrived though, he stopped in his tracks, seeing their son exiting the RV.

How stupid he had been, how could he not have known that Jack's kid was Danny, his Danny. As Vlad learned about young Danny, he started to see the similarities to his Little Badger. He knew for sure it was his Danny when Danny called him Fruitloop, a name he hadn't heard in years. He didn't know what to do or how to handle the situation, but Clockwork soon appeared and told Vlad about what had happened. Clockwork and Vlad talked for hours, Vlad constantly asking questions about his Danny from the future, but the other ghost kept quiet, knowing he had to be careful so he didn't change the present. 

"I just need you to challenge him. Right now he doesn't know how to use his powers, I need you to awaken his potential so that he will be able to assist me in the future," Clockwork explained, asking Vlad to teach the boy in a way that would force him to grow and develop. 

Vlad was against it, but knew that if he wanted to see Danny again, he needed do what Clockwork was asking of him. After agreeing that he would attack Danny, only to help him grow stronger, Clockwork had left, leaving Vlad alone. 

Years and years passed, Vlad to watch as Danny grew. Watching over him from afar, throwing different obstacles at him so that he would grow stronger and be able to protect himself and those he held dear. 

"I've waited years for you, my love. I know that soon you will be with me again, but what if you no longer wish for me?" Vlad asked nobody in particular, holding the wrinkled note in his hand, tape connecting the pieces, as Vlad had torn it up many times, but always put it back together. "Please, don't leave me alone again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know the hospital scene seems rushed, I promise you that it is going to be expressed in more detail in future chapters, I'm honestly just using it as a bit of angst and a segway into future chapters. Anyway, this is the only chapter left I have prewritten, I am currently working on chapter 15, so in the meantime, I will update as I get the chapters done, which means I need the motivation to do so. Thank you to all the readers who have either been with the story from the beginning or just recently joined! I am so honored to have so many people leave me so many encouraging words and I'm glad you all are enjoying something I have created. I have a few more stories planned, but I feel like I need to finish this project before I start something new. I do wish to create different one-shot chapters where we see just sort of miscellaneous stuff, such as them exploring different kinks, their first holidays together, cute little fluffy snippets of their daily lives, or maybe some angst fights. Please continue to support the story and I hope that you all continue to see the finished product!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story being posted here, so please be patient with me as I'm still learning how to properly set everything up. Also, there's probably quiet a few spelling/grammar mistakes, just due to the fact I don't have anyone to reread my chapters before posting them. Hopefully you all enjoy my story and I'm always open for reviews and helpful critiques.


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